Ingredients
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1 lb ground turkey, or ground chicken
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1 medium onion, grated
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1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
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1 large egg
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cooking oil
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2 tsp salt, divided
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ground black pepper
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1 tsp dried garlic powder
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2 tbsp fresh thyme, divided
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2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, divided
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2 tsp dried basil
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2 tsp dried oregano
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1 tbsp butter
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2 large shallots, diced
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6 garlic cloves, minced
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1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
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3 to 4 cups baby spinach
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1/2 cup white wine, such as chardonnay or sauvignon blanc
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1 cup orzo pasta
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1 cup chicken broth
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1 1/2 cups cream
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1 cup grated parmesan cheese
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3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Making the Meatballs:
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Using a regular cheese grater, grate the onion into a large mixing bowl. Add the ground turkey, panko bread crumbs and all the seasonings: 1 tsp salt, pepper, dried garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary.
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Using your hands, gently massage all the ingredients together, creating a uniform meatball mixture without overmixing the batter.
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Use a 1 tablespoon measuring scoop to portion the batter into small meatballs. Drop them on a tray wrapped in plastic wrap for easier clean up.
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Coat your hands in cooking oil, then gently roll the batter to form nice, round meatballs.
Frying the Meatballs:
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Preheat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat with a generous drizzle of cooking oil (I use avocado oil).
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Once the pan is hot, add the meatballs, spacing them out about 1-inch apart. Fry the meatballs in 2 to 3 batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry the meatballs for 5 to 6 minutes, turning gently with rubber tipped tongs or a spoon, until they’re nicely browned all over.
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Transfer the browned meatballs onto a tray and set aside for later.
Preparing the Sauce:
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Into the same pan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of butter and the diced shallots. Fry for a few minutes, just until the shallots are softened. Add in the diced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes next and cook for 1 minute.
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Add the baby spinach, then pour in the white wine. Season the sauce with 1 tsp salt, pepper, and the remaining fresh and dried herbs: 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary.
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Cook mixture for 5 to 6 minutes, until the wine is nicely reduced, and the spinach has wilted down. Can’t use wine? Replace the wine with ½ cup of chicken broth and the juice of 1 lemon.
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Add the orzo pasta to the pan and stir to combine with the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in the chicken broth, cream, parmesan cheese, and parsley and stir.
Cooking Instructions:
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Return the meatballs back into the pan, placing them gently over the orzo pasta.
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Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Cook the dish over medium heat for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the orzo pasta is cooked to al dente.
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Once cooked, use a spatula, gently stir together the sauce, the pasta, and the meatballs together.
Serving & Reheating:
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These Tuscan meatballs with orzo are best enjoyed right away. I love to add extra parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley over each serving before digging in to enjoy.
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Need to reheat leftovers? Add the meatballs and orzo into a pan and rehydrate the pasta with a bit of chicken broth. Reheat over medium heat, adding broth as needed until the pasta is creamy.
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