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This Meatball Orzo Bake is made all in one dish, simple to make and full of flavour. BONUS… it’s ready in around 30 minutes, making it a perfect midweek no-fuss family dinner!
I am loving creating something new and different with my orzo recipes right now.
Not only are they delicious and packed with flavour, but they’re so versatile and quick, usually allowing us to cook everything together in one pan (total win, right?)
This brand new Meatball Orzo Bake recipe comes off the back of the success of my Meatball Pasta Bake and my Broccoli Orzo Bake recipes.
They’ve both gone down so well, I thought I would come up with a hybrid recipe! Enjoy.
Why you’ll love this Meatball Orzo recipe
⭐️ Quick, easy and made in one pan
⭐️ Delicious, rich and comforting
⭐️ Ready in about half an hour
About this Meatball Orzo Pasta recipe
We’ve made sure we’ve made this a complete meal by adding tomatoes and broccoli, so there’s no need for extra sides.
I like to make this in the oven as a baked ‘al forno’ method, but you can make it on the hob too (I’ve added instructions below for this method).
Oh, and not forgetting a note on the meatballs you use… I use ready-made meatballs for speed and convenience, and I also find they hold their shape better in a recipe like this where everything is cooked together.
BUT if you’d prefer to make your own for this, go ahead!
You can follow my easy Meatballs and Spaghetti recipe here for regular ones, or you could try my Ikea-style Swedish Meatballs instead.
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What is orzo?
Orzo is pasta, in the shape of large grains of rice. It’s sometimes know as ‘risoni’. The name means ‘barley’ in Italian because it looks a little like grains of barely.
It’s really easy to use as it cooks in a sauce, taking on the flavour and giving a creamy, comforting texture.
Try my Marry Me Chicken Orzo, Orzo Bolognese, Halloumi & Butternut Squash Orzo Bake, Broccoli Orzo Bake or Slow Cooker Lamb Orzo Stew.
Meatball Orzo Ingredients
- Olive oil – Or sunflower, just NOT extra virgin
- Meatballs – Your favourite type
- Onion – Fresh or pre-chopped frozen is fine
- Garlic – Same as above
- Broccoli
- Chilli flakes
- Sweet smoked paprika
- Dry orzo
- Passata
- Vegetable stock – A cube is fine
- Mozzarella – I used grated, but you could swap for another cheese if you prefer
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make Meatball Orzo Bake
1. Add the oil, onion, garlic, broccoli, meatballs, paprika and chilli flakes into a baking dish. Season and bake as per the recipe below.
2. Add in the orzo, pasta and stock. Stir well and put it back into the oven, covered.
3. Bake as per the recipe.
4. Sprinkle over the cheese and bake until golden.
Hint: If the mixture becomes too dry before the orzo is cooked, add a splash of water.
Substitutions
- Vegetarian – You can make this without meat by substituting the meatballs for veggie meatballs. It will work just as well.
- Vegan – Do the same to make it vegan-friendly, but also omit the cheese or find an alternative.
Leftovers & reheating Orzo Pasta
In the fridge Orzo can become a little gloopy after you’ve initially cooked it, so add a splash of water or an ice cube before you reheat it to stop it drying out. Use the microwave to reheat until piping hot.
In the freezer Orzo is always at its best when cooked and eaten immediately, but that’s not to say it won’t still be delicious if it’s out of the freezer. The texture can just become very stodgy. See the tip above for reheating.
Top tips
How to cook orzo
If you haven’t cooked with orzo before, just be aware that this type of pasta (which was traditionally used in soups in Italy) cooks quickly and can also dry out quickly and stick to the bottom of the pan as it absorbs the liquid.
The quantities of stock in this recipe should be fine, but do keep an eye on it in case it needs a little extra.
Just add a little extra at a time until it’s cooked through to the right consistency and is no longer crunchy.
How to make this on the hob
- Heat oil in a sauté pan and add onion and garlic and meatballs. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the meatballs have browned.
- Add in the broccoli, chilli flakes, paprika, salt, pepper, orzo and vegetable stock.
- Bring to a simmer, cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes over a low heat. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
- When the orzo is soft, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and place under the grill for 5 minutes until golden.
Meatball Orzo Bake FAQs
Use a NON-STICK pan for this. It will make your life so much easier.
See my one pan recommendations here.
I wouldn’t recommend it.
This recipe has been tested multiple times specifically to work with orzo.
Orzo works here because it is sturdy, cooks so quickly and has a rice-like texture. Feel free to try but you will need to adjust the stock levels and cooking time.
OR you might prefer my Meatball Pasta Bake recipe instead.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Meatball Orzo Bake {One Pot}
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Olive oil
- 340 g Meatballs
- 1 Onion, Peeled and chopped.
- 3 Garlic cloves, Peeled and chopped.
- 300 g Broccoli
- 1/2 tsp Chilli flakes
- 2 tsp Sweet smoked paprika
- 300 g Dried orzo
- 500 g Passata
- 600 ml Vegetable stock
- 75 g Mozzarella
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C.
- In a baking dish, add the meatballs, onion, garlic, broccoli, chilli flakes, paprika, oil and salt and pepper. Toss everything so it's all coated. Bake (uncovered) for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, add the orzo, passata and stock. Mix well, cover with a lid (or tin foil). Bake for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over. Bake for a further 5 minutes, uncovered.
- Check that the orzo is cooked through and serve.
To make on the hob:
- Heat oil in sauté pan and add onion and garlic and meatballs. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the meatballs have browned.
- Add in the broccoli, chilli flakes, paprika, salt, pepper, orzo and vegetable stock.
- Bring to a simmer, cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes over a low heat. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
- When the orzo is soft, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and place under the grill for 5 minutes until golden.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this on the hob with the same weight of mushrooms instead of broccoli (several broccoli haters in the house). It was delicious and with a few more meatballs would have easily served 5-6 people
Tasty and easy to make – went down very well with the kids. I did have to cook the orzo for longer than in the method (might have been a problem with my oven) but at least I know for next time we have it! Thanks!
Another winner for kids and adults. I added more meatballs because we are a greedy hungry family, but other than that I followed recipe to the letter and it was plentiful. Clean plates all round. Delicious!
Made this for dinner tonight, loved how simple the recipe was and all in one pan. Will definitely be making it again.
Great quick, affordable family with minimal steps and washing up!
So easy. Absolutely delicious. This will be a go to recipe for us. Many thanks
Tried this one tonight and it was delicious! My husband isn’t a fan of orzo but was completely converted. It had a lovely smoky flavour and tje cheesy topping was so good! One pan, not much chopping, super easy!