cherry tomato orzo with mini meatballs
I forgot how good meatballs are
I have been craving spaghetti and meatballs so much lately. I’m not sure if its just the nostalgic comfort that comes from that meal, or something else entirely. However, I don’t actually love a marinara sauce on pasta. So, I decided to make a dish that was inspired by spaghetti & meatballs, but this version is a bit more true to myself.
Instead of spaghetti, I used orzo. But this recipe can work with any pasta shape at all. Instead of a marinara sauce, I used burst cherry tomatoes and a bit of cream for a gentler sauce. And for the meatballs, I kept it pretty classic, but I made them mini meatballs. I love this because the size of the meatballs is roughly the same size as the tomatoes, and it makes for a very fun eating experience.
This recipe is so good, and it comes together pretty quickly. I will note that the recipe for the meatballs will create far more meatballs than you need for this dish. Save the leftover meatball mixture and make regular meatballs, meatloaf, or just have a ton of mini meatballs on hand.
the full recipe:
Ingredients
1 cup Orzo
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Shallot, finely diced
2 cups whole Cherry tomatoes (24-25 tomatoes)
Kosher salt
1 tbsp Salted butter
1/4 cup Heavy cream
Chives, thinly sliced for garnish
for the meatballs:
1 lb Meatball/meatloaf ground mix
1/2 cup Plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Calabrian chilies (or more to taste)
Tools
Large pan
Large pot
Mixing bowl
Steps
In a large mixing bowl, add 1 lb ground meat, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp calabrian chilies. Use clean hands to mix these together until fully combined and homogenous.
Once mixed, drizzle a small amount of olive oil onto your palms and rub together. This will help prevent the meat from sticking to your hands. Form around 20 small meatballs, a scant 1/2 tablespoon of meat per meatball.
If you want to get really specific, each meatball should be around 9 or 10 grams.
In a large skillet, add 2 tbsps olive oil over medium heat. Add all of the mini meatballs to the oil and allow them to sear on all sides. Once the outside of the meatballs are cooked (but not cooked all the way through the center), use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan and set on a paper towel-lined plate.
Return the pan to the stove, it should still have olive oil and some browned meat bits in it. Over medium-low heat, add the 2 cups of whole cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle a small pinch of salt over the tomatoes, about 1/4 tsp. Gently cook these while stirring periodically until they begin to burst in the pan.
While the tomatoes are bursting, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add 1 cup orzo. Boil until al dente, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water. Drain and return orzo to the pot off the heat with 1 tbsp salted butter.
When the tomatoes are beginning to burst, add the finely diced shallot and stir to saute with the tomato juices. Once the shallot is softened and the tomatoes are bursting, add the mini meatballs back into the pan with the tomatoes. Toss to combine and finish cooking the meatballs.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the pan and transfer the tomatoes, meatballs, and shallot into the pot of orzo and butter. Stir to combine, then add the pasta water along with 1/4 cup heavy cream. Bring the heat to medium, allowing the pasta to gently simmer in the liquid.
Taste and add more salt as needed. You will likely need at least another 1/4 tsp kosher salt.
Serve hot and garnish with thinly sliced chives.
Taste throughout the cooking process to ensure you do not over or under season this dish. The salt amounts in the recipe are a guideline, and you likely will need more.
This recipe will yield far more meatballs than is needed for the dish. Feel free to do whatever you like with the extra meat. You could make more mini meatballs, make regular (or even XL) meatballs, make a meatloaf, patties, etc.
Meatloaf ground meat mixture - This is sold at most grocery stores and it is a mixture of beef, veal, and pork. You can opt for just beef meatballs, or you could switch it up and try turkey or chicken meatballs. For a meatless option, use meatless ground to make meatballs.
Orzo - Any pasta shape will work great with this recipe, though smaller shapes will work a little better. Other great options for this dish are mezze rigatoni, ditalini, acini di pepe, or even elbow noodles.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it, please comment below or tag me on social media!