Tuscan Meatballs with Orzo Pasta
Tuscan Meatballs with Orzo Pasta is impressive enough for company but still simple enough for a Tuesday night. Tender meatballs and tiny orzo simmer in a rich sauce loaded with sun-dried tomatoes that is finished with garlic, sour cream, and Parmesan for a cozy, rich-but-not-heavy dish that makes everyone want to go back for seconds.
Servings per Recipe: 6 servings
Calories per Serving: 560
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 large onion
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for sautéing
For the orzo and sauce:
- 1½ tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1½ cups orzo pasta, about 9 ounces
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 10 fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prepare the meatballs
- Process 1 large onion in a food processor until smooth, or finely dice the onion.
- In a bowl, mix 1.5 pounds ground beef, 1 egg, half of the onion, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, and¼ teaspoon black pepper until uniform consistency.
- Form mixture into 24 meatballs.
Sauté the meatballs
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Sear meatballs on all sides until browned (they don’t need to be fully cooked).
- Remove and set aside.
Cook the meatballs, orzo & sauce
- In the same pan, add 1½ tablespoons butter Sauté the remaining onion for 2–3 minutes.
- Drain and chop ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the onions and cook another minute.
- Add ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 cup white wine and mix well. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by about half, stirring occasionally.
- Add 1½ cups orzo pasta and 2 cups chicken broth to the pan. Stir well, and bring to a simmer.
- Once the liquid is boiling, return the meatballs to the pan to cook. Add 10 fresh basil leaves to the skillet.
- In a small bowl, temper ½ cup sour cream by whisking a couple of tablespoons of the hot broth into the sour cream. This warms the sour cream and prevents the sauce from curdling. Set the sour cream aside.
- Cover the skillet and simmer the pasta and meatballs in the liquid for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo is al dente and meatballs are cooked through to 160ºF.
- Add the tempered sour cream to the skillet and stir gently. Cook for 2 -3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, and add 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Mix gently, and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Spoon into a plate or bowl and garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.
Notes
To freeze or prep ahead, prepare and sear the meatballs and refrigerate or freeze separately. Prepare the sauce through reducing the wine. Store in a separate airtight container together with the meatballs for up to 4 months in the freezer or 24 hours in the refrigerator.
To prepare from frozen, thaw meatballs and sauce overnight in refrigerator then proceed as follows.
To prepare: In a large skillet heat sauce, and add 2 cups chicken broth and 1½ cups uncooked orzo pasta. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs and 10 fresh basil leaves to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through to 160ºF, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Temper ½ cup sour cream with a little of the hot broth mixture, then add to skillet with 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Mix gently and garnish with fresh basil and additional Parmesan before serving.
Meatball shortcut: Use purchased frozen meatballs (Costco's Italian beef meatballs are perfect for this recipe) or bulk meatball recipe from the freezer to cut prep time for this recipe down to about 35 minutes with less mess. Thaw the meatballs first and sauté them to sear them on all sides for the best flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 560cal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 24g | Sodium: 848mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Net Carbohydrates: 37g
