Greek Turkey Meatballs With Orzo Recipe
Greek turkey meatballs with orzo is a Mediterranean-inspired dinner made with bold and fresh flavors, tender meatballs, and a bright Greek orzo salad. It’s an easy, one-skillet meal ready in under an hour and perfect for weeknights or meal prep.
Ingredients
Greek Turkey Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs or almond flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried dill leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for cooking only, don't mix into the meatballs
Greek Orzo:
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 4 cups water or broth
- ¼ cup Greek vinaigrette
- 1 cup kalamata olives pitted
- 2-4 ounces feta cheese crumbled (use dairy-free or regular feta)
- 1 cup cucumber sliced and quartered
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup red onions diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest minced
Toppings:
- Tzatziki Sauce homemade or store-bought
- Whipped Feta you can use this instead of tzatziki, if you want
- fresh mint or fresh parsley chopped
- extra feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Make Meatballs: Combine meatball ingredients (except for the oil) in a large bowl. (If you feel the mixture is super sticky, feel free to place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before scooping). Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop out approx. 1 1/2 tablespoons of meatball mixture, form a ball, and place on a large plate. Continue until all of the meatball mixture is used.
- Cook Meatballs: Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and use a spatula to spread evenly to coat the pan. Add turkey meatballs and sear on all sides, about 3 minutes. Turn down heat to medium and cover the pan. Allow meatballs to cook about 10-15 minutes or until fully cooked (165℉ internal temperature - using a meat thermometer). If the hot pan gets dry, feel free to add a splash of water and then cover again. Remove meatballs from pan and serve.
- Make Greek Orzo: While the meatballs are cooking, add water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add orzo and let cook 8-12 minutes or until cooked al dente. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Place rinsed/drained orzo into a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Taste and add additional vinaigrette, salt, lemon zest or other ingredients - as desired.
- Assemble Bowls + Serve: Divide Greek Orzo between bowls and add some Greek Turkey Meatballs. Top with Tzatziki Sauce or the Whipped Feta and sprinkle with fresh chopped mint or parsley, as well as some extra crumbled feta.
Notes
- Greek vinaigrette: you can use homemade Greek vinaigrette or store-bought - either will work! Feel free to add more or less, as desired. If you make this ahead of time or the salad sits out for a bit, just note that the you may need to add more, as the orzo soaks up the liquid! You can also drizzle a bit of olive oil in there too, if it starts to get a bit dry.
- Making Orzo Ahead: you can make the Greek Orzo ahead of time, but as noted above, you may need to add quite a bit more vinaigrette as the orzo will soak up the liquid as it sits.
- To Bake Meatballs: line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place an oven-safe cooling rack on top - spray the rack with olive oil. Place meatballs on top of the rack and place in the oven, middle rack, at 400 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes or until they are fully cooked (165 degree F. internal temp).
- Freeze Meatballs: place uncooked meatballs on a cookie sheet, ensuring they are not touching. Place in the freezer for approx. 1 hour or until meatballs are frozen. Then place in a labeled, freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Storage: Store leftover meatballs and orzo in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Dairy-Free: use a dairy-free feta and a dairy-free tzatziki sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1719mg | Potassium: 623mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 3mg
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