Pour tomato soup and these 2 ingredients over raw ground beef into a baking dish for a family dinner that disappears in seconds

This is my ultra-simple, oven-baked 4-ingredient Amish-style porcupine meatball recipe—the kind of cozy, no-fuss dinner you can throw together on a weeknight and still feel like you really cooked. The magic here is in the method: you pour canned tomato soup, plus just two pantry ingredients, right over raw ground beef in a baking dish, and let the oven do all the work.

The rice in the meatballs swells up as they bake, giving them that classic “porcupine” look that’s been a Midwest and Amish potluck staple for decades. It’s the kind of family dinner that somehow disappears in seconds, even on a busy night.

Serve these Amish porcupine meatballs right in the baking dish with plenty of the tomato gravy spooned over the top. They’re perfect over fluffy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or plain white rice to soak up all that sauce. Add a simple green side—like steamed green beans, a tossed salad, or roasted broccoli—to balance the richness.

If you’re feeding a crowd, warm dinner rolls or crusty bread on the side make it easy to stretch the meal and swipe up every last bit of sauce.

Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Amish Porcupine Meatballs

Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (80–90% lean)

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed tomato soup
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (optional, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional, to taste)
Nonstick cooking spray or a little oil for greasing the baking dish

Directions