Lemon-Dill Meatballs With Orzo

By Ali Slagle

Published April 19, 2023

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist; Hadas Smirnoff. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgepeth.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(2,725)
Comments
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With nutty orzo, tender meatballs, bitter greens and spoonfuls of herby yogurt, this Mediterranean-inspired skillet dinner is hearty yet light. There’s an incredible amount of dill, but don’t bother plucking fronds from the stems. Instead, chop the whole plant until you hit the roots; the stems are crunchy and flavorful. While the fennel seeds are optional, their anise flavor is reminiscent of tarragon, so alongside the orzo’s anchovies and the herb yogurt, you might be reminded of green goddess dressing. Instead of orzo, try rice or pearl couscous, and add liquid as needed until tender.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 ½ cups loosely packed chopped dill (about 3 ounces), plus more for serving

  • 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt

  • 1 large garlic clove, finely grated

  • 1 lemon, zested and halved

  • 1 pound ground turkey or chicken

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional) 

  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 cup orzo

  • 3 anchovy fillets

  • 4 cups chopped escarole, spinach, mustard greens or baby kale (about 3 ounces)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

28 grams carbs; 106 milligrams cholesterol; 410 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 669 milligrams sodium; 33 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl, stir together the dill, yogurt, garlic and lemon zest. Transfer ½ cup of the yogurt to a large bowl, along with the ground turkey, fennel seeds (if using) and 1 teaspoon salt; mix lightly with your hands to combine. Roll into 12 meatballs about 3 tablespoons each and refrigerate until Step 3. (You can also make the meatballs ahead and refrigerate for up to an hour ahead.)

  2. Step 2

    To the remaining yogurt in the medium bowl, squeeze in the juice from the lemon, then season to taste with salt until flavorful and slightly puckery. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium. Add the orzo, anchovies and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper; stir until the orzo is golden, 2 to 4 minutes. Add 2 ½ cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce to a simmer over medium-low, then add the meatballs in a single layer. Cover and cook without stirring until the orzo is tender and the meatballs are cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Turn off the heat, add the escarole on top and season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and let sit until the greens are wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste the orzo and season with salt and pepper. Serve with a spoonful of the yogurt, plus more dill and black pepper.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,725 user ratings
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Comments

brandon

If you find yourself having bought vanilla yogurt instead of plain and trusting the Reddit threads saying it doesn’t make much of a difference, I’m here to tell you, it does.

Colleen

Made using the modifications read in the comments. Added 1/2 c. Panko to meatballs, cut water back to 1 3/4 cups. It turned out well, and the whole family gave it 5 stars.

KW

I used lamb instead of turkey because ground turkey has no taste. I think next time I’ll add some breadcrumbs to hold in moisture. With just yogurt and meat, the balls ended up rather dry. I might brown the balls first and then toast the orzo in lamb fat. I also ended up with a bunch of liquid leftover even after the orzo was tender, so I strained the liquid off and put it back in the pan alone to reduce into a delicious, syrupy lamb glaze and stirred the balls and orzo back in.

Sutter

The the ratio of orzo to water was way off. I recommend making it like risotto, pouring liquid (chicken stock) 1/2 a cup at a time. I used some oil from the anchovy can along with the butter (didn't add anchovies - too salty). I also recommend using less yogurt mixture in the meat than called for, and adding some panko for a binder. Cook the meatballs in the oven until almost done, then add to the pasta/greens for a final steam. 3 star recipe but great with modifications.

A.S.

I cook a ton and often from this site- I was a little disappointed by this recipe. As some have said, 2.5 cups of water is way too much. I didn’t read other people’s experiences and after 15 minutes, it looked like soup. I had to remove the meatballs & drain the orzo with a strainer. Also- I like dill but 1.5 cups is A LOT. All in all, it was ok for a weeknight meal but not amazing.

JD

I followed this recipe almost exactly as written. My only modification was browning the meatballs prior to mixing them into the orzo. As others have commented this recipe is a little bland as written. The strongest addition to the relatively weak flavors of the dish were the anchovies, giving the meal an overwhelmingly fishy taste that grossed me out.

Sutter

@JD I didn't put any anchovy in, but I did use some of the oil from the jar to supplement the butter. So this added a bit of umami and salt without super fishy taste. I also added some feta cheese to the orzo and spinach mixture because it tasted bland even though I used chicken stock instead of water. And I baked the meat meatballs separately. Came out great.

Sutter

I made this last night and I am glad I read a bunch of the comments first - even reading the recipe I had questions about how it would come out. I didn't use anchovies, but I used some of the oil that comes from the can, along with the butter, so it added a bit of the anchovy taste but not all the salt/fishiness. I used broth instead of water, but only 1 3/4 cups. I cooked the meatballs almost the whole way through in the oven/broiler then added them to the pasta and collard greens to steam.

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