One Pan Creamy Meatballs and Orzo

This Meatballs and Orzo recipe is a flavor bomb and will be your new favorite dinner! It's made all in one skillet, ready in 30 minutes, and features frozen meatballs and orzo in a creamy, cheesy pink sauce. This is a family favorite and is on repeat in our home.

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It doesn't get better than pasta and meatballs and this unique spin is always a crowd pleaser. Plus, it's made in one skillet for easy clean up.

If you're not familiar with pink sauce, it's a lot like mixing Alfredo Sauce with a bit of marinara, and it's so delicious!

For more one pot dinners, try these Mexican Chicken Thighs and Rice, Andouille Sausage Spaghetti, Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta, and Creamy Ground Beef Gnocchi.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe:
• Ingredients:
• Substitutions and Variations:
• How to Make Meatballs and Orzo:
• Expert Tips:
• More Weeknight Dinner Ideas You'll Love:
• Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

• Minimal Prep. We're using frozen meatballs, which makes prep so easy. Just a bit of chopping and shredding cheese, and we're ready to go.
• One Skillet. Simple clean up.
• Easy to Make. Even a beginner cook can execute this dish by following the step by step instructions with photos.
• Quick. Ready in 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.
• Big on Flavor. This recipe is so tasty with all the Italian flavors we love.

For more Orzo recipes, try this Chicken Pesto Orzo, Orzo Vegetable Soup, Chicken Orzo Bake, and Broccoli and Cheese Orzo.

Ingredients:

Frozen Meatballs: You can use store bought meatballs, but I highly recommend these Homemade Frozen Meatballs. It makes a batch big enough for 2-3 meals, so you can freeze some. **Make sure you have fully cooked meatballs for this recipe, or you will need to cook them before starting the recipe. Frozen solid is great, but make sure the package says fully cooked.

Chicken Stock: Made with the bones and has richer flavor than Chicken Broth. My favorite brand is Kitchen Basics and the Kirkland brand from Costco.

Parmesan Cheese: I highly recommend using Parmigiano Reggiano for a superior quality. Shred the cheese from a block on the fine setting for the best melt. Do NOT used bagged pre-shredded cheese because it doesn't melt well in the sauce from all the preservatives.

*Find the full recipe ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below.

Substitutions and Variations:

• Chicken Broth can be used instead of stock, but the flavors won't be as good. It usually lacks salt and richness.
• If you've made freshly cooked meatballs, add them in about half way through cooking the orzo pasta. Make sure they are fully cooked prior to adding them in.
• I don't recommend using half and half or milk for a substitute for the heavy cream. Those will water down the sauce and not thicken correctly.
• The baby spinach can be substituted with regular spinach, but I would give it a rough chop first. Also, use fresh, not frozen, so it doesn't water down the sauce and turn it green.

For more meatball recipes, try these Jalapeno Cranberry Meatballs, Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs, Marinara Meatball Sliders, Sweet Chili Meatballs, and Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs. Can you tell I love meatballs?

How to Make Meatballs and Orzo:

Expert Tips:

• When sautéing the onions, we want them softened and translucent, not browned.
• If the pan starts to overflow, reduce the heat to low. You can also use a Dutch Oven with lid for this recipe.
• Shred the cheese from the block for the best melt.
• Make sure the meatballs are fully cooked. Raw meatballs aren't a good choice for this recipe and won't cook fully.

For more Italian recipe favorites, try this Pastina Soup, Italian Sausage Lasagna, Pizza Subs, and Rigatoni Sausage Bake.

More Weeknight Dinner Ideas You'll Love:

If you tried this Meatball and Orzo Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

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