Greek Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Orzo & Creamy Feta Yogurt Sauce
Delicious Greek turkey meatballs with lemon orzo, tender veggies, and a creamy feta yogurt sauce. These healthy baked Greek turkey meatballs are filled with tons of wonderful herbs and make the perfect protein-packed weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- For the feta yogurt sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup feta crumbles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1-3 teaspoons water to thin sauce so you can drizzle it over meatballs
- For the meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey (around 93% lean is best)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion (from about 1/4th large red onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or sub ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the veggies:
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 1 orange bell pepper, julienned
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- For the lemon orzo:
- 1 ⅓ cup orzo pasta (8 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Juice from ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice)
- 1-2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
- Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: ½ cup pitted and sliced kalamata olives
- To garnish:
- Fresh torn mint and parsley
- For serving:
- Optional: Pita bread
Instructions
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First make the feta yogurt sauce: add yogurt, feta, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic powder to the bowl of a food processor or to a blender. Process/blend until smooth and well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste and process once more. If it’s not thin enough, feel free to add 1-3 teaspoons of water so that you can easily drizzle it. Set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, add the ground chicken or turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, diced red onion, garlic, parsley, mint, oregano, salt and pepper; use clean hands to form into 16 golf ball sized meatballs. Set aside.
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Tip for forming meatballs: keep a small bowl of water to dip your hands in before forming each meatball. It makes it so much easier!
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Add peppers and onions to a medium bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and freshly ground salt and pepper. Toss together then add veggies to the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Next nestle the meatballs in between the veggies. Bake for 17-23 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.
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While the meatballs are cooking, you can make the orzo: first cook the orzo according to the directions on the package. Once al dente, drain the orzo and add back to the pot, then stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, butter (or olive oil) and season with salt and pepper to taste. I really like to add a lot of black pepper to mine! Lastly, stir in the kalamata olives.
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To serve: add orzo to plates or bowls, then top with meatballs (4 per person) and peppers/onion mixture. Drizzle with the feta yogurt sauce and garnish with fresh torn mint and parsley. I also love adding fresh pita triangles or pita chips on the side as an option, too! Enjoy! Serves 4.
Recipe Notes
This recipe would also be fabulous with my homemade tzatziki sauce.
Instead of breadcrumbs, feel free to use 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour as a binder instead of breadcrumbs. This is a great gluten free option, too!
Feel free to double the sauce if you want more for dipping your pita in!
See the full post for ways to make the meatballs ahead of time and to freeze them for later.