If you’re looking for an easy and delicious dish, these herby meatballs with creamy kale orzo are for you! Simple to prepare, and bursting with flavors of fresh citrus and zesty herbs, this recipe is sure to be on constant rotation – serve the meatballs over the creamy orzo and you’ve got a meal the entire family will love!

Herby Meatballs with Creamy Kale Orzo

If you’re on the hunt for an easy and delicious weeknight dish, look no further! These herby meatballs with creamy kale orzo are a perfect blend of vibrant flavors and hearty textures. Bursting with fresh herbs and citrus zest, this recipe is guaranteed to become a family favorite. Serve the herby meatballs over the creamy orzo for a meal everyone will love!

Why You’ll Love This Dish:

• Flavorful and Fresh: The combination of fresh herbs, lemon zest, and sun-dried tomatoes creates a burst of flavors in every bite.
• Easy to Make: With straightforward instructions, this recipe is perfect for both beginner and seasoned cooks.
• Family-Friendly: The hearty meatballs and creamy orzo will be a hit with kids and adults alike.

What Goes in Herby Meatballs with Creamy Kale Orzo

for a full and detailed list of ingredients, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post

I love this dish because not only is is delicious, the ingredients list is also fairly simple – many are pastry and refrigerator staples that I like always have on hand. Here’s what you need:

For the Meatballs:

• Vegan parmesan cheese: such as Follow Your Heart, GOOD PLANeT Foods, or Violife. You can also sub store-bought vegan parmesan for a homemade recipe (tons online!), or equal parts nutritional yeast.
• Herbs: they are called herby meatballs, after all! We’re using basil, parsley, oregano, garlic, and dried Italian seasoning, but feel free to use your favorite herbs! Dill or cilantro would be tasty, too!
• Breadcrumbs: I like to use panko, but regular breadcrumbs work just fine. Just make sure to read the label to ensure they’re vegan-friendly.
• Vegan egg replacer: such as Bob’s Red Mill or a flax/chia egg.

For the Orzo:

• Vegan butter: or oil, preferably a neutral oil, such as avocado or grapeseed oil.
• Aromatics: white onion, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest & fresh lemon juice, and garlic.
• Dry orzo: Small pasta shapes like acini di pepe, risoni, or even couscous can be substituted.
• Vegan-friendly dry white cooking wine: you can sub equal parts vegetable broth if you prefer!
• Vegetable broth
• Unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk: I like to use and extra creamy non-dairy milk, but any variety works!
• Vegan parmesan shreds: or nutritional yeast
• Kale: I like using kale because its super fibrous and hold up much better than other types of greens, such as spinach.
• Fresh minced parsley

How to Make Herby Meatballs with Creamy Kale Orzo

This recipe is fairly fuss-free and pretty straightforward! Once you’ve got the meatballs formed (which you can employ your partner or children to help with!), all you have to do next is pop them into the oven! As for the creamy orzo, just simmer and stir! Here’s how to make it from start to finish:

1. Meatballs!

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place garlic, vegan parmesan, basil, parsley, and oregano in a food processor and pulse until it’s very finely grated. Pour contents into a large bowl with the remaining ingredients. Using your hands, mix well to combine.

Measuring out about 2 tablespoons, roll meatballs, and place them on a prepared baking tray. You should have about 15-18 meatballs. Bake the meatballs until heated through and darker in color, flipping halfway through. Remove the meatballs from the oven and set aside.

2. Orzo!

Meanwhile, place the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s melted, add onion, sun dried tomatoes, lemon zest and the juice, and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until the onion is fragrant.

Pour in the orzo and wine, then bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring every so often, until most of the wine has evaporated. Pour in the broth, milk, and nutritional yeast, mixing to incorporate all the ingredients. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue simmer stirring occasionally until the orzo is al dente and most of the liquid has cooked out, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Add the Kale:

Remove the lid and working in batches, mix in the chopped kale, stirring as you add in new handfuls. Continue to cook, while stirring, until all the kale has been added and it’s just slightly wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

4. Time to Eat!

To serve, spoon a few of the meatballs over the creamy orzo. Garnish with vegan parmesan (if using), minced parsley, and a wedge of fresh lemon. ENJOY!

tools you need:

• Food Processor
• Large mixing bowl
• Meatball scooper
• Nonstick skillet
• Rimmed Baking Tray
• Silicone Baking Mat

Tips and FAQs

1. Mixing the Meatballs: Ensure that the ingredients for the meatballs are well mixed to avoid any dry spots. Using your hands is the best way to combine everything thoroughly.
2. Shaping the Meatballs: If the mixture is sticky, wet your hands slightly to make shaping the meatballs easier.
3. Cooking the Orzo: Stir frequently while simmering the orzo to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Adjusting the Consistency: If the orzo becomes too thick, add a bit more vegetable broth or non-dairy milk to reach your desired creamy consistency.

Can I Make This Recipe Gluten Free?

Yes, you can substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs in the meatballs and use gluten-free orzo (or another small pasta) in place of regular orzo.

Can I Prepare the Meatballs Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make the meatballs in advance and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to a month. Just thaw before baking.

Storage:

Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Both the meatballs and the orzo can be frozen separately. Place the cooled meatballs and orzo in airtight containers or freezer-safe bags. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating:

Stovetop: Reheat the orzo on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of vegetable broth or non-dairy milk to maintain the creamy consistency. Stir occasionally until heated through.
Microwave: Place the orzo in a microwave-safe dish, add a splash of broth or non-dairy milk, cover, and microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
Meatballs: Reheat the meatballs in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. They can also be microwaved in 30-second intervals until hot.

The Best Weeknight Dinner!

I hope you love these 30-Minute Herby Meatballs with Creamy Kale Orzo as much as I do! If you try this dish and enjoy it, I wanna know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigsand #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!

Til next time, friends!

xo!

Herby Meatballs with Creamy Kale Orzo

Ashley

If you’re looking for an easy and delicious dish, these herby meatballs with creamy kale orzo are for you! Simple to prepare and bursting with flavors of fresh citrus and zesty herbs, this recipe is sure to be on constant rotation – serve the meatballs over the creamy orzo and you’ve got a meal the whole family will love!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Meatballs

• 6 cloves fresh garlic
• 6 tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese shreds, or nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• 12 ounces vegan ground meat
• ½ cup vegan-friendly panko breadcrumbs
• 1 vegan egg binder, prepared according to directions
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, plus more to taste

For the Creamy Kale Orzo

• 4 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 cup white onion, diced
• ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and diced
• The zest of 1 small lemon, plus 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 6 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 2 cups dry orzo
• 1 cup vegan-friendly dry white cooking wine
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
• ¼ cup vegan parmesan shreds, or nutritional yeast, plus more for serving, optional
• 2 cups roughly chopped kale
• Fresh minced parsley, for garnish, optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F
• Place all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl. Using your hands, mix well to combine.
• Measuring out about 1 heaping tablespoon, roll meatballs with your hands, and place them on a prepared baking tray. You should have about 15-18 meatballs. Bake the meatballs until heated through and darker in color, 15 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the meatballs from the oven and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s melted, add the onion, sun dried tomatoes, lemon zest and the juice, and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until the onion is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour in the orzo and wine, then bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring every so often, until most of the wine has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Next, pour in the broth, milk, and parmesan, mixing to incorporate all the ingredients. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until the orzo is al dente and most of the liquid is cooked out, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Working in batches, mix in the chopped kale, stirring as you add in a new handful. Continue to cook, while stirring, until all the kale has been added and it’s just slightly wilted, 5 to 6 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• To serve, spoon a few of the meatballs over the creamy orzo. Garnish with vegan parmesan (if using), minced parsley, and a wedge of fresh lemon. ENJOY!

Keyword creamy kale orzo, easy vegan dinner, healthy vegan comfort food, healthy vegan recipes, plant-based meatballs, quick vegan recipes, vegan herby meatballs

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