Feta Meatballs with Lemon Orzo

i mean…. need I say more?? These feta meatballs with lemon orzo salad are a simple meal prep or go-to weeknight meal. Bringing all the flavors of the Mediterranean into your kitchen in under 30 minutes – count.me.in. Let’s get right to it, no time to waste with this one.

2021 Goals

As mentioned in my last post, this time of year, we are inundated with diet culture in every form and fashion. From commercials, to radio ads, to grocery store product placement, this time of year it is so hard to escape the noise of diet culture. Let this serve as your check-in and reminder that your goals for this New Year CAN have nothing to do with your body. Let this serve as your reminder that you have permission to eat and move how you want and not fall into the diet culture trap. If you are wanting your goals to center around your body and health, lets work on changing the narrative of how we talk about ourselves. Working to celebrate our body for what it can do and setting goals around its function instead of image can help re-shape that narrative.

Striving for our bodies to be stronger, feel good, and keep us moving daily are goals we can set that look different than striving for unrealistic health and fitness goals. This article brings me nearly to tears every time I read it and reminds me that our bodies (and the way we talk about them) are so much deeper than their outer look.

So here’s to a year dedicated to learning to love ourselves and the body we have right now.

Abundant Ingredients

I am in love with the fresh, bright, and flavorful ingredients the Mediterranean cuisine brings to the table. Especially in the winter months where freshness and brightness is few and far between, it is so refreshing to have a Mediterranean dish on your table. The spices are the true game changer here. Both the feta meatballs and the dressing in the lemon orzo salad are filed with dry and fresh spices and herbs that make this dish what it is. The ingredients are simple, but quickly elevated by the addition of the spices and herbs (so don’t skimp!!).

The (feta meatballs with lemon orzo) Process

Simple, fun, and under 30 minutes. Three phrases we love to hear and double as a descriptor for this feta meatball and lemon orzo salad recipe! The process starts with adding all the spices to the turkey and combining before rolling into individual meatballs. After they are all rolled, you will cook them in a skillet in 2 batches for around 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. For the orzo salad, you will cook the orzo per direction on the box and then add the chopped veggies and lemon+olive oil dressing over top.

That’s it. Once again simple as promised, but just as delicious.

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Feta Meatballs with Lemon Orzo Salad

These feta meatballs with lemon orzo salad are a simple meal prep or go-to weeknight meal that boasts all the Mediterranean flavors we love

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp dill
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 3 cloves grated garlic
• 2 tbsp feta

Lemon Orzo Salad

• 1 cup orzo
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• pinch salt and pepper
• 1 juiced lemon

Instructions

• Add the ground turkey, salt, pepper, oregano, dill, paprika, and basil to a bowl and combine with hands. Grate in the garlic cloves and add the feta and combine again
• Oil hands and roll into 15-20 (mine made 16) 1-1/2 inch balls and place aside
• Heat a skillet on medium high heat with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once hot, add half the meatballs and let cook on one side for 2-3 minutes. Flip and let cook on other side for an additional 2-3 minutes. Continue to flip for another 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from heat and repeat with the other half of the meatballs until all are cooked and then take off heat
• For the salad, cook the orzo per directions on the box. While the orzo is cooking, chop the bell peppers and cucumbers and slice the olives in half
• Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and spices: oregano, basil, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine
• Once the Orzo is cooked, drain and rinse with cool water. Add the orzo, peppers, cucumber and olives to a large bowl and combine. Add the lemon and oil mixture over top and toss.