If you’re looking for an easy and delicious dish, these herby meatballs with creamy kale orzo are for you! Simple to prepare, and bursting with flavors of fresh citrus and zesty herbs, this recipe is sure to be on constant rotation – serve the meatballs over the creamy orzo and you’ve got a meal the whole family will love!
Ingredients
Meatballs:
• 6 cloves fresh garlic
• 6 tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese shreds, or nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• 12 ounces vegan ground meat
• ½ cup vegan-friendly panko breadcrumbs
• 1 vegan egg binder, prepared according to directions
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
Creamy Kale Orzo:
• 4 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 cup white onion, diced
• ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and diced
• The zest of 1 small lemon, plus 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 6 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 2 cups dry orzo
• 1 cup vegan-friendly dry white cooking wine
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
• ¼ cup vegan parmesan shreds, or nutritional yeast, plus more for serving, optional
• 2 cups roughly chopped kale
• Fresh minced parsley, for garnish, optional
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F
Place garlic, vegan parmesan, basil, parsley, and oregano in a food processor and pulse until it's very finely grated, about 30 seconds to 45 seconds. Pour contents into a large bowl with the remaining ingredients. Using your hands, mix well to combine.
Measure out about 2 tablespoons, roll meatballs, and place them on a prepared baking tray. You should have about 15-18 meatballs. Bake the meatballs until heated through and darker in color, 15 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the meatballs from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, place the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s melted, add the onion, sun dried tomatoes, lemon zest and the juice, and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until the onion is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour in the orzo and wine, then bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring every so often, until most of the wine has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Next, pour in the broth, milk, and nutritional yeast, mixing to incorporate all the ingredients. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer until the orzo is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove the lid and working in batches, mix in the chopped kale, stirring as you add in a new handful. Continue to cook, while stirring, until all the kale has been added and it’s just slightly wilted, 5 to 6 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
To serve, spoon a few of the meatballs over the creamy orzo. Garnish with vegan parmesan (if using), minced parsley, and a wedge of fresh lemon. ENJOY!
Recipe by Eat Figs, Not Pigs at https://www.eatfigsnotpigs.com/herby-meatballs-with-creamy-kale-orzo/