One Pan Ground Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Orzo
Flavorful, creamy, and made in one pan, this Ground Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo is the perfect weeknight meal. Tender seasoned meatballs made with ground turkey rest on top of a bed of creamy lemon orzo pasta in this hearty dinner recipe.
As we prepared for our second child’s birth in 2022 I created a handbook for anyone who came to help during the newborn phase. It included schedules, local activities, snacks, meals, and even take-out orders.
Maybe it’s the former teacher in me that felt like I needed to leave sub plans for everyone. Maybe it was all of that nesting energy that drove me to create such an extensive list of tools but one of the things that has stuck from that handbook came in the form of a “15-minute recipe”.
The Greek Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Orzo recipe from Brae’s Bites was made half a dozen times during the newborn phase and after coming out of the sleep deprived fog I realized there were a few updates I would like to make to the recipe to make it dairy-free, one-pan, and a little more decadent.
Why We Love This Turkey Meatball and Lemon Orzo Pasta Recipe
Getting out of the dinner rut is always a personal goal of mine. Some of the ways I try to get creative include one pot dishes, sheet pan dinners, and trying new recipes each month.
This greek turkey meatball with lemon orzo recipe is a staple because it is:
- A one pot meal– One of the changes I made to the original recipe was to whip it up in one pan. Using my creamy orzo pasta recipe as the base, I added spices, lemon juice, and zest to the final product to make it one pan.
- Flavorful– From the juicy meatballs to the fresh lemon, creamy orzo, and melody of spices, this is one deliciously flavor packed meal.
- Toddler approved– Both of my children enjoy this dish. The meatballs, feta, and orzo each pack a flavor and texture they enjoy.
Dairy-Free Changes to Greek Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo
As previously mentioned, this recipe was adapted from Brae’s Bites Greek Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Orzo. These are a few of the ingredient swaps made to keep this dish deliciously dairy-free.
- Dairy-free feta– In place of traditional feta I used follow your heart feta crumbles.
- Plant-based butter– Swapping out butter for plant-based butter or olive oil helps keep this dish dairy-free.
- Non-dairy milk– In the creamy orzo I use an unsweetened oat milk for a thicker milk consistency.
How to Make Greek Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo
Ingredients for Greek Turkey Meatballs
- Ground Turkey– You can also use ground chicken if you prefer.
- Egg– Binds together the meat, seasoning, and dairy-free feta crumbles.
- Dairy-Free Feta– I like to use Follow Your Heart Feta Crumbles.
- Spices– A blend of oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill, dried parsley, salt and pepper season the meatballs.
- Olive oil– Used to cook the meatballs in the pan.
Ingredients You’ll Need for the Creamy Lemon Orzo
- Orzo Pasta– Uncooked pasta to start.
- Plant-based butter– Used at the start of the creamy orzo sauce.
- Garlic– Fresh garlic either grated on a microplane or minced.
- Non-dairy milk– I like to use an unsweetened oat milk in this recipe.
- Broth– Vegetable or chicken broth work best for this recipe.
- Lemon– Zested and juiced for all the fresh flavor.
- Seasoning– A blend of oregano, salt, pepper, and dried dill compliment the meatballs.
Start by Making the Greek Turkey Meatballs
- Mix meatball mixture: In a large bowl mix together ground turkey, egg, dairy-free feta, and spices until well mixed together.
- Scoop and ball: Using a 1.5 Tablespoon sized scoop, scoop the meatball mixture and roll into balls. You should make about 18 meatballs.
- Heat oil: In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.
- Cook meatballs: Once hot add the meatballs and cook about 15 minutes. I would suggest turning the meatballs every 3-5 minutes to brown evenly.
- Remove the meatballs from the pan once they have reached the internal temperature of 165°F.
Next Make the Creamy Lemon Orzo
- Melt butter: In the same pan you cooked the meatballs add 2 Tablespoons of plant-based butter and melt.
- Add garlic: Once melted, add garlic and stir until fragrant- about 30 seconds.
- Make creamy orzo: Next pour in non-dairy milk, broth, orzo, and seasonings. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Cook orzo: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add lemon + meatballs: Once the orzo is cooked through add lemon juice, lemon zest, and meatballs back to the pan.
- Serve: Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley and more dairy-free feta crumbles.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
When you decide to make this ground turkey meatball with creamy lemon orzo recipe, here are some kitchen tools you might find helpful along the way.
- Wide and deep pan– This is great for cooking the meatballs with minimal splatter as well as cooking the orzo and stirring the liquids into the pasta.
- 1.5 Tablespoon scoop– Used for making uniform sized meatballs.
- Digital Thermometer– Great to have on hand for checking when the meatballs are done without cutting into them.
Serving Suggestions
This Greek turkey meatballs with creamy lemon orzo pairs well with a number of different sides. Here are a few dishes we like to serve along side this recipe.
Storing and Reheating Tips Meatballs with Orzo
Whether you plant to make this on a meal prep day to enjoy later or you have some leftovers after you finish serving, here are some tips for storing and reheating this dish.
- Storing– Place in an air tight, refrigerator safe container and store up to 5 days.
- Reheating– I would suggest reheating the meatballs separate from the pasta as they will need different amounts of time to reheat thoroughly. Alternatively you could break up the meatballs to shorten the reheat time.
- Place meatballs in a microwave safe dish and heat until warmed through. Depending on the power of your microwave I would suggest between 1 minute and 90 seconds.
- For the pasta loosen it up with about a Tablespoon of water and reheat in 30 second intervals until warmed through.
One Pan Pasta Dishes to Make Next
Craving more simple, one pan dinners to make this week? Here are a few of my favorites!
If you tried this one pan greek turkey meatballs with creamy lemon orzo recipe please let me know in the comments below!
You can also share a picture of it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can see all of your life after dairy adventures!
Looking for more delicious dairy-free recipes and tips? Sign up for my newsletter below to get the most helpful recipes, tips, and products for your life after dairy.
One Pan Greek Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo
A simple and flavorful one pan dish, this creamy lemon orzo topped with juicy greek turkey meatballs is the perfect weeknight dish.
Ingredients
Greek Turkey Meatballs
- 1 pound Ground Turkey
- 1 Egg
- ½ cup Dairy-Free Feta
- 1½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dreid Basil
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Dill
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Creamy Lemon Orzo
- 2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 cup Non-dairy Milk
- 14 ounces Vegetable Broth
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Dill
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 cup Orzo Pasta uncooked
- 1 Lemon juiced and zested
Instructions
-
In a large bowl mix together 1 pound ground turkey, egg, ½ cup dairy-free feta, 1½ teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper until well mixed together.
-
Using a 1.5 Tablespoon sized scoop, scoop the meatball mixture and roll into balls. You should make about 18 meatballs.
-
In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.
-
Once hot add the meatballs and cook about 15 minutes. I would suggest turning the meatballs every 3-5 minutes to brown evenly.
-
Remove the meatballs from the pan once they have reached the internal temperature of 165°F.
-
In the same pan you cooked the meatballs add 2 Tablespoons of plant-based butter and melt.
-
Once melted, add garlic and stir until fragrant- about 30 seconds.
-
Next pour in 1 cup non-dairy milk, 14 ounces vegetable broth, 1 cup orzo, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon dill, ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir and bring to a boil.
-
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Once the orzo is cooked through add lemon juice, lemon zest, and meatballs back to the pan.
-
Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley and more dairy-free feta crumbles.
Some of the links above contain Amazon affiliate links. These are products and brands I use in my kitchen daily. They pay me a small commission for the referral at no additional cost to you.