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Greek Turkey Meatballs with Orzo & Feta Sauce


Warning: this protein & veggie-packed dinner may simply have you ever doing backflips in your kitchen. For those who’ve been following AK for some time now, there’s a very good probability you’ve made considered one of my epic meatballs recipes (like my well-known ginger rooster meatballs). I LOVE making scrumptious meatball dishes for dinner as a result of they’re tremendous versatile, kid-friendly, and simpler to make than you assume!

These Greek turkey meatballs have tons of flavorful herbs rolled proper into them and are served with lovely veggies, vibrant lemon orzo, and a creamy, tangy feta sauce. One phrase to explain a chunk of this combo: magical. This dish is the right well-rounded dinner with every part you could possibly need — numerous protein, loads of veggies, grains, and naturally, unimaginable flavors. I lately realized that it’s Abra’s #1 favourite dinner recipe on AK (what?!) so that you KNOW it’s gonna be good.

Serve this attractive bowl with olives, pita, and further herbs and sauce if you happen to’d like! I included simple methods to prep them forward of time and even freeze them for later to make weeknight dinners a breeze.

Greek turkey meatballs with orzo and feta sauce in a bowl

The whole lot you’ll must make these Greek turkey meatballs

This recipe is really among the best sheet pan meals. Herby Greek turkey meatballs baked on one pan with the veggies then served with a flavorful lemon orzo and a creamy, tangy feta yogurt sauce. YUM. Right here’s every part you’ll must make them:

  • For the sauce: we’re utilizing my go-to creamy feta yogurt dressing that’s the right combo of tangy, creamy and salty.
  • For the meatballs: you’ll want some lean floor turkey, an egg & breadcrumbs for binding, purple onion, recent herbs like parsley and mint, dried oregano, and loads of salt & pepper.
  • For the veggies: the meatballs will bake proper up with bell peppers and purple onion.
  • For the orzo: you’ll get loads of taste for the orzo with lemon juice, lemon zest, a bit butter or olive oil, salt & pepper.

ingredients for Greek turkey meatballs in a bowl

Extra scrumptious methods to serve these meatballs

I like the combo of the lemon orzo and feta sauce with these wholesome Greek turkey meatballs, however you could possibly additionally:

  • Swap the orzo for quinoa, rice, farro or couscous
  • Attempt my Selfmade Tzatziki Sauce instead of the feta sauce
  • Combine in some pitted, sliced kalamata olives with the orzo for additional bites of taste
  • Serve with pita and further feta sauce for dipping!

unbaked Greek turkey meatballs and peppers on a sheet pan

Can I make the gluten free?

Positive! Be happy so as to add 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour to the meatball combination as an alternative of the breadcrumbs, or just use gluten free breadcrumbs.

You possibly can then serve the meatballs with quinoa or rice as an alternative of orzo, or just take pleasure in them with the sauce.

baked Greek turkey meatballs on a sheet pan with peppers

Tip for forming your meatballs

I like to recommend wetting your arms, coating them with a bit olive oil, or spraying your arms with a bit nonstick cooking spray earlier than rolling your meatballs to forestall the combination from sticking. Really easy!

healthy Greek turkey meatballs with orzo in three bowls

Make these baked Greek turkey meatballs forward of time

There are two simple methods that you would be able to really make these Greek turkey meatballs forward of time and prepare dinner them up whenever you’re prepared!

  1. From cooked: combine and kind the meatballs, then bake them as directed or prepare dinner them in a skillet. As soon as cooked, retailer them within the fridge for as much as 2-3 days till you’re able to proceed with the recipe.
  2. From uncooked: combine and kind the meatballs, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Tightly cowl the meatballs with plastic wrap and put them within the fridge till you’re able to prepare dinner them. You possibly can prep these meatballs 1-2 days forward of time. As soon as able to prepare dinner, merely observe the recipe as written.

easy Greek turkey meatballs with orzo and feta sauce in bowls

Learn how to freeze these meatballs for later

  • Cook dinner first, then freeze: place your cooked Greek turkey meatballs and peppers in a freezer-safe, hermetic container or bag and freeze them for as much as 3 months. *Make sure you don’t overcook the peppers earlier than freezing them. Whenever you’re able to take pleasure in, let your container of meatballs & peppers thaw within the fridge for a couple of hours or in a single day. Once they’re virtually performed thawing you can also make the orzo and sauce. Lastly, warmth the meatballs and peppers in a pan till they’re good and heat, and serve with the orzo and sauce!
  • Freeze earlier than cooking: you can even freeze these meatballs earlier than cooking them! Type your meatballs as instructed, place them on a baking sheet, and put them within the freezer for 1-2 hours. That is known as a flash freeze. Then, switch your frozen meatballs to an hermetic, freezer-friendly bag or container and place within the freezer for as much as 3 months. To thaw them, merely place them within the fridge for a couple of hours or in a single day after which prepare dinner them as directed within the recipe.

Greek turkey meatballs with veggies and orzo in a bowl

Really helpful instruments

Take a look at all of my kitchen necessities right here!

Extra meatball recipes you’ll love

Get much more dinner recipes right here!

I hope you like these scrumptious Greek turkey meatballs with orzo and feta sauce! For those who make them make sure you depart a remark and a ranking so I understand how you favored them. Get pleasure from, xo!

Greek Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Orzo & Creamy Feta Yogurt Sauce

Greek turkey meatballs with orzo and veggies in a bowl

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook dinner Time 20 minutes

Complete Time 1 hour

Serves4 servings

Scrumptious Greek turkey meatballs with lemon orzo, tender veggies, and a creamy feta yogurt sauce. These wholesome baked Greek turkey meatballs are crammed with tons of fantastic herbs and make the right protein-packed weeknight meal!

Components

  • For the feta yogurt sauce:
  • ½ cup plain greek yogurt
  • ½ cup feta crumbles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Freshly floor salt and black pepper, to style
  • 1-3 teaspoons water to skinny sauce so you may drizzle it over meatballs
  • For the meatballs:
  • 1 pound lean floor rooster or turkey (round 93% lean is finest)
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup finely diced purple onion (from about 1/4th massive purple onion)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (or sub ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped recent parsley
  • 3 tablespoons chopped recent mint
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly floor black pepper
  • For the veggies:
  • 1 purple bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 orange bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 purple onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Freshly floor salt and pepper
  • For the lemon orzo:
  • 1 ⅓ cup orzo pasta (8 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Juice from ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons recent lemon juice)
  • 1-2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
  • Freshly floor salt and pepper, to style
  • Optionally available: ½ cup pitted and sliced kalamata olives
  • To garnish:
  • Contemporary torn mint and parsley
  • For serving:
  • Optionally available: Pita bread

Directions

  • First make the feta yogurt sauce: add yogurt, feta, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic powder to the bowl of a meals processor or to a blender. Course of/mix till clean and nicely mixed, scraping down the perimeters as obligatory. Add salt and pepper to style and course of as soon as extra. If it’s not skinny sufficient, be happy so as to add 1-3 teaspoons of water so to simply drizzle it. Put aside.

  • Preheat the oven to 400 levels F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • In a big bowl, add the bottom rooster or turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, diced purple onion, garlic, parsley, mint, oregano, salt and pepper; use clear arms to kind into 16 golf ball sized meatballs. Put aside.

  • Tip for forming meatballs: preserve a small bowl of water to dip your arms in earlier than forming every meatball. It makes it a lot simpler!

  • Add peppers and onions to a medium bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and freshly floor salt and pepper. Toss collectively then add veggies to the ready pan and unfold out evenly. Subsequent nestle the meatballs in between the veggies. Bake for 17-23 minutes or till a meat thermometer reads 165 levels F.

  • Whereas the meatballs are cooking, you can also make the orzo: first prepare dinner the orzo in response to the instructions on the package deal. As soon as al dente, drain the orzo and add again to the pot, then stir within the lemon zest, lemon juice, butter (or olive oil) and season with salt and pepper to style. I actually like so as to add plenty of black pepper to mine! Lastly, stir within the kalamata olives.

  • To serve: add orzo to plates or bowls, then high with meatballs (4 per individual) and peppers/onion combination. Drizzle with the feta yogurt sauce and garnish with recent torn mint and parsley. I additionally love including recent pita triangles or pita chips on the aspect as an choice, too! Get pleasure from! Serves 4.

Recipe Notes

This recipe would even be fabulous with my do-it-yourself tzatziki sauce.
As a substitute of breadcrumbs, be happy to make use of 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour as a binder as an alternative of breadcrumbs. It is a nice gluten free choice, too!
Be happy to double the sauce if you would like extra for dipping your pita in!
See the complete put up for methods to make the meatballs forward of time and to freeze them for later.

Vitamin

Serving: 1serving (1/4 of meatballs, orzo, veggies & sauce)Energy: 565kcalCarbohydrates: 59.8gProtein: 39.5gFats: 19.5gSaturated Fats: 7.2gFiber: 5.1gSugar: 6.2g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Bold Kitchen | Images by: Eat Love Eats

This put up was initially printed on June sixth, 2022, and republished on August twenty third, 2023.



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