Mediterranean cuisine has a way of combining hearty, comforting elements with bright, fresh flavors to create dishes that are both filling and refreshing and this Greek turkey meatball and orzo bowl does exactly that.
Turkey meatballs full of feta, spinach, parsley, lemon and wonderful spices are baked until crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and then added into a bowl of buttery orzo with a flavorful Greek salsa and a little tzatziki sauce and hummus to bring everything together in a creamy, delicious way.
If you have ever wanted to make a flavorful mediterranean bowl like you would get at CAVA, Zoe’s Kitchen or Garbanzo’s right in your own kitchen, then let’s get started…
Begin by making your Greek turkey meatballs. This recipe will make about 16 medium meatballs, but it is really easy to double or triple if you are feeding a crowd or meal prepping.
In a large bowl, combine 16 ounces of ground turkey (I use an 85%/15% blend), 1/4 cup of crumbled feta, 2/3 cup of finely chopped spinach, 1 egg, 1/8 cup of finely chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest, 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of oregano and 1/4 teaspoon of cumin.
Lightly grease a small baking sheet and start forming your meatballs!
I start by grabbing a bit of the meat mixture, start rolling and see where am I size wise. If the meatball is too big, I just take a bit off and re-roll. If the meatball is too small, just add a bit more! If you prefer to measure, use 1/8 cup or 2 tablespoons of mixture per meatball. If you prefer to weigh, each meatball should be between 1.5 to 2 ounces.
Bake the meatballs in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. The bake time depends on both how large your meatballs are and how tightly you rolled them. Turkey meatballs are officially done when their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Note: I like lots of color on my meatballs, so right before I pull them out, I turn my ovens high broiler on to brown their tops, but this is optional.
While the turkey meatballs are baking, prep the rest of the ingredients to bring your orzo bowl together. Now, this is your mediterranean bowl, so you can add anything you love, but this is what I add to my bowls…
-
-
- Orzo – cooked according to manufacturers instructions with a touch of butter and parmesan mixed in after draining
- Greek Salsa – a simple combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, olives and red onions in a light dressing
- Tzatziki Sauce – a creamy, herby cucumber sauce that adds a cool, fresh element to this bowl
- Hummus – everyones favorite creamy chickpea spread that adds a rich layer of flavor
- Pitas – serving a warm pita or pita chips with this bowl alleviates the need for forks and that means less dishes to wash later
-
Once the meatballs are done, build your bowl and garnish the whole thing with some crumbled feta, some lemon wedges and fresh parsley, mint or dill.
The warm buttery orzo and those meatballs are one of the most comforting combinations around. The tzatziki and hummus add so much flavor and the Greek salsa add both freshness and crunch. This bowl is exploding with so many delicious layers of flavor and wonderful textures and all of the elements reheat nicely making it a great optional for prepping a healthy, filling lunch in advance.
Greek Turkey Meatball & Orzo Bowl
Ingredients
Greek Turkey Meatballs
- 16 ounces of ground turkey
- 1/4 cup of feta, crumbled small
- 2/3 cup of spinach, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/8 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
Bowl Assembly
- 1 cup of orzo (cooked)
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1/4 cup of parmesan, grated
- 1 cup of Greek salsa
- 1/4 cup of tzatziki sauce
- 1/4 cup of hummus
- 1/4 cup of feta, crumbled
- pitas (optional)
- lemon wedges (optional)
- fresh herbs, finely chopped (garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl
- Form medium sized meatballs using about 2 tablespoons of the turkey mixture
- Lightly oil a small baking sheet and arrange the meatballs
- Bake in a 450 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until they are all browned and cooked through with an internal temperature of 165 degrees
- While the meatballs are baking, cook the orzo according to manufacturers instructions, drain and toss in 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan and set aside
- Once the meatballs are done, build your bowls by adding the orzo, meatballs, tzatziki sauce, hummus, greek salsa and crumbled feta
- Garnish the bowls with fresh herbs and serve with pitas or pita chips
