One Pot Creamy Orzo and Meatballs

This creamy orzo and meatball dinner comes together so easily in one pot! The best part? The homemade meatballs are so juicy and so tender!

Why you’ll love One Pot Creamy Orzo and Meatballs

• One pot convenience. Everything gets cooked in the same pot, from the meatballs to the sauce and even the uncooked orzo, making this incredibly convenient with less dishes to clean!
• Creamy comfort food. Orzo and meatballs pair so well together like chips and salsa, and makes for a fantastic, comforting meal. And as the orzo quickly simmers in the pot, it soaks up all the savory juices, herbs, and fat from the sauce and homemade meatballs.
• All the homemade meatballs. Homemade meatballs provide better flavor, quality, and texture, not to mention, it is also very cost-effective to make them right at home. And the best part? They can easily be made ahead of time (more on that below), substantially cutting down prep time for those busy weeknights.

How to make One Pot Creamy Orzo and Meatballs

1. Prep the meatballs.
   • Combine the ingredients. Combine the Parmesan, Panko, parsley, milk, egg, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pro tip: let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, allowing the Panko breadcrumbs to fully absorb the liquids.
   • Mix gently. Add the ground beef, then mix gently using a wooden spoon or clean hands just until combined. Do not overmix or the meatballs will be tough and dense.
   • Shape the meatballs. Using wet hands, lightly roll the mixture into uniform meatballs (around the size of a golf ball), yielding about 24 meatballs.
   • Sear the meatballs. Working in batches, sear the meatballs in a hot Dutch oven over medium heat until browned on all sides. Pro tip: the meatballs will finish cooking with the orzo.
2. Build the sauce.
   • Sauté the aromatics. Cook the onion and garlic in the Dutch oven until the onion is tender and translucent.
   • Deglaze the pot. Stir in the dry red wine, lifting up the caramelized brown bits (fond) stuck to the bottom of the pot.
   • Simmer. Stir in the browned meatballs, marinara sauce, and beef stock. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, allowing the flavors to marry.
   • Cook the orzo. Stir in the orzo, salt, and pepper, simmering until the orzo is tender and cooked through.
   • Finish. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, and basil.
3. Prep the topping. Combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, parsley, salt, and pepper.
4. Serve. Serve the meatballs and orzo warm, sprinkled with the tomato topping and shaved Parmesan.

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One Pot Creamy Orzo and Meatballs

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This creamy orzo and meatball dinner comes together so easily in one pot! The best part? The homemade meatballs are so juicy and so tender!

Course Main Course

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons grated white onion
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound lean ground beef 90/10
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the sauce

• ½ medium sweet onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 11/2 cups marinara sauce
• 11/2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

For the topping (optional)

• 1 cup halved small cherry tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

For the meatballs

• In a large bowl, combine Parmesan, Panko, parsley, milk, egg, onion and garlic; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, add ground beef, stirring until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1-to-1-1/2-inch meatballs, forming about 24 meatballs.
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

For the sauce

• Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
• Stir in meatballs, marinara sauce and beef stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Stir in orzo; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Continue to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
• Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan and basil until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
• Serve immediately, garnished with tomato topping and additional Parmesan, if desired.

For the topping (optional)

• In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

• Use lean ground beef. Using 90/10 lean ground beef for the meatballs will release less grease and fat when the meatballs are simmered alongside the orzo, preventing an oily film from pooling on top of the sauce.
• Keep your hands wet. When forming the meatballs, keep your hands slightly wet to keep the mixture from sticking to your hands, ensuring perfectly round, smooth meatballs.
• Prep the meatballs ahead of time. The meatballs can be assembled up to 1 day in advance and placed in the fridge until ready to use. The uncooked meatballs can also be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month (once flash freezing), thawing overnight in the fridge.
• Make a double batch to freeze. Make a big batch of meatballs, doubling the recipe, to have a stash ready in the freezer to cut weeknight dinner prep to just a few minutes.
• Avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook the meatballs in batches, letting them cook in a single layer undisturbed until a nice crust is formed all around.
• Deglaze the pot. Lift up the caramelized brown bits (fond) stuck to the bottom of the pot – this will add maximum, deep flavor to the orzo and meatballs.
• Grab store-bought marinara. To cut down on prep time even more, use store-bought marinara sauce (such as Rao’s, our favorite).
• Add in leafy greens. This is an excellent recipe to sneak in leafy greens for those picky eaters. Spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula are all excellent options.
• Add the cream slowly. Always add the heavy cream at the very end, pouring very slowly to prevent curdling. Substitute half and half for a lighter consistency.
• Store-bought meatballs also work in a pinch. Use your favorite store-bought frozen meatballs in a pinch, cooking to package instructions.

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