Creamy Orzo with Meatballs and peas is a fast and filling weeknight family meal! Tender orzo pasta with bite sized meatballs and baby peas, all wrapped up in a delicious and creamy cheesy sauce.
An all in one meal, Creamy Orzo with Meatballs and Peas is both delicious and satisfying. It’s a great meal for a family on the go and the leftovers are even better the next day!
What you’ll need to make Creamy Orzo with Meatballs and Peas
- Olive oil
- Uncooked meatballs
- Orzo pasta
- Butter
- Garlic
- Onion
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Heavy cream
- Salt & pepper
- Paprika
- Italian seasoning
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Frozen peas
Quick & Easy Video: Making Creamy Orzo with Meatballs & Peas
How to make Creamy Orzo with Meatballs and Peas
This all in one meal is fast and filling. Perfect for a weeknight, tender orzo pasta, bite sized meatballs and baby peas are all wrapped up in a delicious and creamy cheesy sauce!
Generously salt a pot of water and bring to a boil.
Add Orzo pasta and cook to al dente according to the package directions. This typically takes 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
While the Orzo is cooking, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add raw meatballs* and cook for about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through.
*Note: Usually, I use thawed make ahead meatballs from the freezer for this recipe, but store bought or even pre-cooked meatballs may be used. (Just thaw and skip this step, adding them at the end).
Remove meatballs from skillet and add butter, garlic and chopped onion. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently until onion begins to soften.
Sprinkle with flour, stir to incorporate, and increase the heat to medium-high.
Whisk in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. The mixture will begin to visibly thicken.
Add the heavy cream slowly, whisking to combine. If you dump it all in at once, the cream could curdle. Just temper it in, whisking as you go.
Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika and Italian seasoning. The sauce should be thickened and bubbling.
Add the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and stir until both are melted.
Add the peas, the cooked orzo pasta and the meatballs back into the skillet.
Stir until well distributed and cook for 3-5 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Other Easy Dinner Ideas You May Like
Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Meatballs – does double duty as either a meal or as an appetizer!
Keto Eggroll Bowl – all the delicious flavors of an egg roll come together in this super easy one pan meal!
Weeknight Pineapple Shrimp and Rice Bake – easy and delicious family weeknight meal!
Spaghetti Pie – With Italian sausage and spinach hidden inside this is an unexpectedly good (and super easy!) weeknight creation that the entire family will love.
One Pan Sausage and Peppers – Baked Italian sausages on a bed of seasoned peppers and onions.
Creamy Orzo with Meatballs and Peas
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 24 frozen uncooked meatballs thawed
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 garlic cloves minced or chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Cook orzo pasta in generously salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook meatballs for about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through.
- Remove meatballs from skillet and add butter, garlic and chopped onion. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently until onion begins to soften.
- Sprinkle with flour, stir to incorporate, and increase the heat to medium-high.
- Whisk in chicken broth and bring to a simmer so it begins to thicken.
- Add the heavy cream slowly, whisking to combine.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika and Italian seasoning.
- Add the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and stir until melted.
- Add the peas, the cooked orzo pasta and the meatballs and cook for 3-5 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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