Perfectly seasoned lamb meatballs nuzzled in lemony, buttery Greek Orzo topped with fresh dill, sitting on a bed of mouthwatering baba ganoush. This one-pot meal is beyond delicious and is perfect for a flavorful mid-week meal!
To say this is the BEST meal I’ve had in a while is a complete understatement, while also saying a lot because I wholeheartedly enjoy every meal I make. But this dish right here! Whew! Let’s just say this is my new all-time favorite.
First, you all know I love a good one-pot meal. It’s easier, fewer dishes, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying my meal instead of preparing it! This dish comes together perfectly in less than 45 minutes. It is perfect to spice up your mid-week meal routine.
Honestly, this dish reminded me of something I would get at a fancy Mediterranean restaurant, like The Belvedere in Beverly Hills. The flavors are rich, profound, and zesty. The lamb meatballs are lightly seasoned with garlic, cumin, and parsley, which pairs perfectly with the lemony, buttery orzo cooked with a greek olive medley. UTTER PERFECTION!! Each bite was such a treat!
So, let’s jump into this recipe!
How to make the Lamb Meatballs?
Lamb is such a flavorful meat so it does not need much to taste incredible. So, less is more in this case and you only need a few seasonings:
- Fresh Parsley
- Fresh Garlic Cloves
- Sea Salt
- Cumin
When cooking lamb, it is important to not overcook it because it can easily dry out and lose all its delicious flavor. For cooking lamb meatballs, you only need to cook on each side for a total of 2-3 minutes, cooking the entire time for no more than 5-7 minutes.
Once the lamb is cooked you will set it aside and prepare the orzo (in the same skillet!!-yay).
How to make Greek Orzo?
First I will start by saying that Orzo is not generally gluten-free. However, for all my gluten-free peeps out there, Delallo, has a great gluten-free orzo option!
Back to preparing orzo!
For this recipe, it is very simple to prepare the orzo. First, add ghee (or butter) to the skillet and add lemon slices and garlic. This will help give the pasta the lemony-garlic flavor we love.
Then, add 1 cup of orzo and lightly saute for 2-3 minutes. This gives the orzo time to absorb the lemon garlic butter sauce before adding the broth.
To mention: I’ve found for this recipe the orzo cooks similar to rice with a 1:2 ratio of pasta to broth/water. I tend to add water as I go because the orzo is highly absorbent, so feel free to add up to ½ cup more broth (or water) as needed.
After about 7-10 minutes the orzo should be al dente (soft on the outside, but firm to bite). You’ll then add the olives. I love to use a blend of Kalamata, Picholine, and Nicoise Olives; the variety provides an even more dynamic flavor to the dish.
Almost finished with this delicious One-Pot Lemon Butter Greek Orzo with Lamb Meatballs!
Now that the olives are added all that is left to do is nuzzle the meatballs back into the dish and finish it off with fresh dill.
The perfect sides for this Dish:
One-Pot Greek Orzo with Lamb Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Lamb Meatballs
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
For the Greek Orzo
- 2 Lemon, sliced
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 cup Orzo
- 2 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
- 2-3 tbsp Ghee or Butter (or coconut oil)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Dill, chopped
Instructions
Instructions for Lamb Meatballs
- Combine chopped parsley, minced garlic, cumin, and salt into a medium bowl with the ground lamb. Thoroughly combine the ingredients. Then take about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and form small balls.
- Over medium heat, add 1-2 tablespoons of Olive oil to a large skillet. Then add the meatballs and cook for about 2 minutes per side, cooking no more than 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer the meatballs to a large plate and set aside
Instructions for the Lemon Butter Greek Orzo
- In the same skillet, add the garlic and the sliced lemons. Saute the lemons for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Then add 2-3 tbsp ghee/butter (or coconut oil). Add the orzo and saute for about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the vegetable broth (or water) and the juice of one lemon. Over high heat, bring the liquid to a boil and cook the orzo for about 6-8 minutes, or until al dente. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid any burning of the orzo.
- Once the orzo is fully cooked lower the heat to medium-low and mix in the olives. Then add the meatballs back into the skillet. Cover the dish for about 3-5 minutes to warm the meatballs back up. Then, add the dill.
- Enjoy as is or serve with baba ganoush or hummus!
Video
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18 comments
This is such a great one pot dish. I love the lamb meatballs, they are tender and full of flavors. And the whole dish is so easy to put together.
Thanks Anita!
This is such a wonderfully flavorful meal. The meatballs taste amazing and it’s a great meal for when you’re tired of making the same thing.
One pot dishes are the best! Looove the lamb meatballs. Nom
Glad you like! One-Pot meals are my fav!
I never think to buy lamb and then I saw this post. This is a delicious recipe! The whole family loved it and I’ll be making it again.
Hi Colleen! I am so glad your family enjoyed it!
This looks amazing! And all in one skillet!!
I love that this recipe uses lamb instead of beef. To me, it makes it more authentic.
Hi Marta! I like it with lamb instead too. It gives this dish much more flavor!
This looks so flavorful! Thanks for sharing!
I would love to try this recipe!! Looks delicious!
I love lamb meatballs so much!! And since this is a one pot dish, it has my heart already ahaha such a great recipe!!
I have had lamb meat in the freezer. I am definitely going to make this recipe!
This dish is so flavorful and I love the juicy lamb meatballs!
I cannot wait to try these meatballs! I have yet to try lamb, and I think this is the perfect introduction!
This was the top 5 recipes I’ve ever made at home! My fiancé agrees that this was restaurant quality. I thought the two full lemons was going to be too sour but it turned out perfect at the end. And the olives really do elevate the flavor of the dish. I will definitely be making this again and trying different proteins!
Hi Sarah! I am so happy you and your fiance enjoyed the recipe! Trying different proteins is a great idea! These flavors go with almost anything 🙂