Greek Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo is a quick and easy weeknight dish that's packed full of herbs, garlic, and paired with a delicious lemon orzo that's out of this world!
Want more recipes? Try this Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad and Healthy Orange Sesame Chicken!
Greek Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo
There's something about the mixture of herbs and lemon that make this dish so delicious. It's the dill, parsley, and thyme with a little garlic and feta that truly pack the flavor. Then, you pair that with a creamy lemon orzo and wow, just wow. It's sheer magic! Not to mention, this dish is super easy to make. Oh, and start to finish, it only takes about 30-40 minutes tops! Top this dish with a little whipped feta and olives and you've got a delicious meal that's easy and fun and there you have it - Greek Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo!
In addition, if you enjoy a good comfort meal, this recipe is for you. This meal will definitely keep you warm throughout the winter but won't weigh you down.
Also, you have to check out these 5 Amazing Meatball Recipes and this Simple Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe!
what are greek meatballs made of?
These Greek meatballs are made with traditional Greek spices and fresh herbs - all of which you can find at your local grocery store. Specifically, this Greek Meatballs and Creamy Lemon Orzo dish has fresh chopped parsley and dill, salt, pepper, onion powder, freshly chopped garlic cloves, and feta!
I added feta to these Greek Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo because it adds a nice punch of flavor. Also, who doesn't love a meatball that's stuffed with cheese?
oh how I miss traveling!
I've never been to Greece, but I LOVE Greek food. However, Greece is definitely on my list of places to visit! It's something that I really look forward to after the pandemic is over. In the meantime? These Greek Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo will have to hold me over in the interim!
As I mention all of the time, a lot of my recipes are inspired by the places I've travelled. Since I haven't been to Greece, I wanted to make something that reminds me of my traveling days - sampling new cuisines, hiking foreign terrains, shopping! The list goes on and on.
What are some of your plans when the travel restrictions are lifted? Anyone else itching to hop on a plane to a foreign land too?!
how do you make GREEK MEATBALLS WITH CREAMY LEMON ORZO?
It's super simple! Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs in one bowl and mix well. Scoop 2 tablespoons of the ground turkey meatball mixture and roll them into meatballs. Add a little olive oil to a pan and add the meatballs and cook thoroughly - about 15 minutes, browning on both sides.
Then get started on the orzo. Bring water to a boil and cook orzo according to package instructions. I used 2 cups of orzo, so I hope that's a good reference point. I also meal prepped this dish so I had leftovers for about 2 days between my Husband and I. Anyway, once orzo is finished, drain off the water and add all of the ingredients together and stir together.
Then you're done. It's that simple! Of course, you can garnish with olives, a little whipped feta or even whipped sour cream... however, I think that whipped feta has a lot more character and flavor. Speaking of olives, this recipe would pair really well with this Cheesy Stuffed Green Chile Olive Bread or this Cheesy Olive Bread! To make whipped feta, you simply add feta and a little olive oil to a food processor and blend until creamy - about 10-15 seconds. It's SO good and SO worth a try! I also garnished with a little freshly chopped dill too. Also freshly squeezed lemons! It's citrus season, go all out for these Greek Meatballs and Creamy Lemon Orzo!
how do i store this recipe?
In an airtight container in the refrigerator is the best way to store this Greek Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo. It will ensure that this recipe stays fresh for the longest amount of time. I would recommend eating this meal within 3 days of cooking it to ensure that it is fresh and still have that bright and delicious taste! Because the Creamy Lemon Orzo has sour cream in it, it is important to eat this sooner than later.
what sort of equipment do I need for this recipe?
For this Greek Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo, I recommend using a non-stick skillet to saute the meatballs. You will also need a saucepan to boil the orzo. A mixing bowl is also needed to mix together the meatballs. Outside of that, you don't really need anything else other than the ingredients!
is orzo a pasta or rice?
Orzo is a pasta! It's made from flour and is shaped like rice but isn't rice at all! I love using orzo because it's quick and easy to cook. Check out my 20-minute Summery Cajun Orzo with Kielbasa. It's really delicious.
Orzo is one of those pastas that goes with so many things because it's easy to cook and easy to eat!
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Greek Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo
Ingredients
Greek Meatballs
- 1 pound Ground Turkey
- ½ cup Feta Cheese
- 2 cloves Garlic, diced
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Fresh Dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp Fresh Thyme, chopped
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for frying
Creamy Lemon Orzo
- 2 cups Orzo
- ¼ cup Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsps Fresh Dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 lemon, zest and then juiced/squeezed
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Olives and additional feta, for garnish
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, feta cheese, diced garlic, onion powder, dill, parsley, thyme, and salt and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are full incorporated. Scoop 2 tbsps of ground turkey mixture and shape into balls.
- Add olive oil to a non-stick skillet and add meatballs. Cook for 10-15 minutes, browning on all sides.
- Cook orzo according to package instructions and drain water. Add sour cream, parsley, dill, garlic powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste to the orzo and mix together with a large spoon.
- Extra step, optional: Add feta to a food processor with a tsp of olive oil and beat the feta until smooth.
- Plate and Eat up!
This is soooo yummy and very easy to make. The combination of the yogurt, lemon & herbs gives the orzo a creamy texture and paired with the feta stuffed turkey meatballs takes it next level. Surprisingly quick & easy to make. The meatballs went fast but still snacking on the orzo. ( Add extra feta to the pasta!)
Thanks so much Kristi! I really appreciate your feedback! 🙂