Meatball and Cherry Tomato Orzo: A Quick and Easy Skillet Meal
This recipe for Meatball and Cherry Tomato Orzo is absolutely delicious and comes together in about 15 minutes. It is perfect for weeknights but is delectable enough to make for guests.
First, you will need to gather your ingredients.
You are going to need:
- Meatballs. Here’s my recipe for the Best Homemade Italian Meatballs.
- Orzo.
- Cheese. Any type of shredded Italian cheese or blend will be fine. This time I had an Aged Balsamic and Cippolini Onion Parmesan that I got from the Chef Store. I had never seen that flavor before and I highly, highly recommend it if you can find it.
- Parsley. Garden fresh herbs are always desirable, but if you don’t have any dried will be fine.
- Cherry Tomatoes.
- Beef broth.
Next, start the orzo.
In a skillet, drizzle some olive oil and heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add the orzo, stir around until coated in the oil and toast for a few moments. Add the beef broth, salt and pepper generously (to taste) and bring to just boiling. Turn the heat down to low and cover for 9 minutes.
Third, prepare your ingredients.
While the orzo is cooking, shred your cheese and chop the parsley. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Fourth, add the rest of the ingredients to the pan.
After about 9 minutes the orzo should be al dente and there should still be some broth in the pan. Add the shredded cheese and halved cherry tomatoes and mix in. Then nest the meatballs into the orzo and cover to finish cooking, about 5 minutes.
Dinner is served!
Top the pan with the chopped parsley and additional shredded cheese if you like. Then dig in!
This Meatball and Cherry Tomato Orzo skillet meal is exceptionally easy and could be modified to add more veggies if you like. It would be very easy to add some chopped zucchini or baby spinach. Please let me know in the comments if you try this and how it turns out!
Until next time,
Ariel
Meatball and Cherry Tomato Orzo
Equipment
- 1 Skillet with lid
- 1 chef knife
- 1 Spatula or Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Orzo Pasta
- 2 Cups Beef Broth
- 1.5 Cup Cherry Tomatoes – sliced in half
- 10 – 15 Meatballs
- 1/2 Cup Shredded Italian Cheese
- 1 bunch Parsley – chopped
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Heat skillet over high heat
- Turn heat down to medium high and add olive oil and orzo to skillet
- Stir orzo continuously until just turning golden brown
- Add the beef broth, salt and pepper, stir and bring to just boiling
- Turn down heat to low and cover skillet for 9 minutes
- While the orzo is cooking, slice your tomatoes, chop the parsley and shred the italian cheese
- After the 9 minutes are up, stir the orzo. Add the sliced tomatoes and shredded cheese to the pan and stir
- Nest the meatballs into the orzo and cover the pan for another 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld
- Top with the chopped parsley and additional shredded cheese if desired
- Serve!
