Cozy, comforting, and easy to make, my One Pot Italian Meatballs and Orzo is the best answer to “what’s for dinner?”! Since everything cooks together in one pot, the flavor of the meatballs and sauce absorbs into the orzo, resulting in a hearty and creamy meal you’ll make on repeat!
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Sunday dinner – weeknight style
I created this recipe when we were all craving Sunday sauce and meatballs, but it was midweek and I didn’t have much time, so I decided to try my hand at a one-pot Italian meatballs and orzo dinner, and the results were met with multiple 10/10 reviews from my taste testers!
This meal is ready in 1 hour and is so incredibly comforting, I know it will become one of your favorites!
I added some dollops of ricotta and fresh basil at the end for a beautiful presentation and because we’re big lovers of ricotta in my house!
While this is a one pot meal, you could certainly serve it alongside some of your favorite greens, such as sauteed spinach with garlic, green beans with garlic and oil, or Italian broccoli.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Beef. Ground chuck is my go-to beef for one pot meatballs and orzo, but you could use ground sirloin, ground round, ground lamb, or even ground turkey.
- Orzo. This rice-shaped pasta is excellent for one pan dinners, such as my Mediterranean salmon and orzo, as it’s size allows for it to cook relatively quickly while soaking up the liquid and flavors of the other ingredients surrounding it.
- Breadcrumbs. I’m using store-bought Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for the meatballs. You can use plain breadcrumbs if that’s what you have on hand.
- Tomatoes. If using whole plum tomatoes, you can either hand crush or blender-pulse to make smoother, or you can use a can of crushed tomatoes for even easier prep.
- Ricotta. While not required, I highly recommend adding the dollops of ricotta at the end!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Add the beef, salt, and pepper to a bowl and combine with your hands.
- Add the parsley, garlic paste, grated cheese, breadcrumbs, and beaten egg and gently mix togehter.
- Roll 1-inch meatballs and place on a parchment paper lined sheet and set aside.
- Heat a heavy pot or high walled pan to medium heat with the onion and olive oil and cook until translucent, then add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer. Taste test and add 1/2 the basil.
- Add the orzo, mix, and then add the meatballs and bring to a simmer.
- Turn the heat to low and cover with a tight fitting lid.
- After 15 minutes, taste orzo. If it’s not quite done, cover again and check after 3 minutes. Uncover the pot, add the remaining basil and mix gently. Place dollops of ricotta all over the top and serve with grated cheese and more ricotta. Enjoy!
Top tips
- Making the meatballs. Be sure not to overmix your meatballs as doing so can make them tough. Form them just until formed – not too tightly. If your meatballs aren’t forming, add another egg as this helps to bind the ingredients together. Wetting your hands will help prevent the meat from sticking to your hands.
- Presentation. You can use a spoon to drop dollops of ricotta on top of the one pot meatballs and orzo, but I like to add the ricotta to a piping bag and pipe it on. It’s easy to do and makes for a really beautiful presentation, along with the fresh basil leaves!
More meatball recipes
If you love meatballs as much as I do, give these other awesome recipes a try!
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Baked ziti with tiny meatballs
- One pan Greek meatballs and potatoes
- Macaroni and broccoli with tiny meatballs
- Pan-fried meatballs
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One-Pot Meatballs and Orzo
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound (454g) ground chuck
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup (75g) Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 3/4 cup (68g) grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic paste
- 1 large egg beaten
For the sauce and orzo
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- 3 1/2 cups (840ml) low sodium beef stock
- 1/2 packed cup chopped basil divided
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound (454g) orzo
- 1 cup (240g) ricotta plus more for serving
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Instructions
For the meatballs
- Add the beef to the bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- To the meat, add the parsley, garlic paste, grated cheese, and breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and gently mix everything together.
- With wet hands roll approximately 1" diameter meatballs and set them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
For the sauce and orzo
- Heat a large high-walled pan or heavy pot to medium heat with the olive oil and add the onion. Sprinkle with salt and cook the onion until soft and translucent. Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer. Taste test and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in half of the basil.
- Add the orzo and mix to thoroughly coat. Add the meatballs to the pot and bring to a simmer. Once simmering turn the heat to low and cover with a tight fitting lid.
- After 15 minutes, test the orzo. If it needs a few more minutes, cover again and check after 3 more minutes. Uncover the pot and mix in the remaining basil. Place dollops of the ricotta all over the top of the orzo and meatballs and serve. Serve with more ricotta and grated cheese at the table. Enjoy!
Notes
- Meat. Chuck, which has a large amount of fat and flavor, is great for meatballs, but you can also use leaner meats if you like.
- Mixing the meatballs. It’s crucial to not over-mix a meatball and to not form them too tightly. Use wet hands and roll the meatballs by hand until there are no cracks.
- Eggs. 1 egg is a good starting point, but don’t be shy about using an extra one if the mix is too dry. The eggs are the binder and ensure the meatballs can be formed properly.
- Leftovers. Italian Meatballs and orzo can be stored in the fridge for 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’m so excited to finally share our debut cookbook, Sip and Feast: Family Favorite Recipes!
Hi Jim~~
You make cooking a breeze in this sweltering heat!
Happy to hear that!
I love your recipes, must try this!
Kathy
Jim-
No precooking of the meatballs? I dont believe I have seen a recipe that just cooks them in stock like this.
Jon
Hi Jon, no precooking – the meatballs are small enough where they do cook completely in the pot with the sauce/stock (similar to how you’d drop uncooked meatballs into Italian Wedding Soup). Jim is filming a video for this dish soon and it will be up in the coming weeks if you’d like to watch how he makes it.