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(2,852)
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 monounsaturated 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
2,852 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.

L

Made it exactly as written (with ground chicken and baby kale) and it was very good! Made it a second time with less water, which was good, more anchovy, which was good, and a lower-fat ground chicken which was a mistake. I don't think the meatballs need any kind of panko or breadcrumb, and browning them entirely misses the point of this being stupid easy to execute even with a toddler running around and the clock ticking down to bedtime. Also the toddler loved it.

Lauren

Added 1/2 cup panko to the meatballs and browned them before step 3. I only used one standard pack of dill and it was still plenty dill-y

Lucy K

Per the advice of others, I cooked the meatballs separate, and added breadcrumbs. I also threw in some zucchini and cherry tomatoes to the orzo and topped it off with Parmesan cheese. I thought it was delicious.

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