This Meatball Orzo Bake is cooked in a single dish, easy to prepare and full of flavour. Bonus: it’s ready in about 30 minutes — an ideal midweek, no-fuss family dinner.
I’ve been experimenting with different orzo recipes lately. Orzo is quick, versatile and so useful for one-pan meals — everything often cooks together, cutting down on time and washing up.
This Meatball Orzo Bake grew from the popularity of my Meatball Pasta Bake and Broccoli Orzo Bake recipes. Think of it as a hybrid: comforting tomato sauce, tender orzo and meatballs baked together until cheesy and golden.
Why you’ll love this Meatball Orzo recipe
⭐️ Quick, easy and made in one pan
⭐️ Rich, comforting and family-friendly
⭐️ Ready in about 30 minutes
Sarah’s Notes
This is a complete meal once you add tomatoes and broccoli, so you don’t need extra sides. I usually bake it in the oven using an al forno method, but you can also make it on the hob — instructions for that are included below.
For speed I use ready-made meatballs; they hold together well during baking. If you prefer homemade meatballs, feel free to use those instead.
What is orzo?
Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta also called risoni. It cooks quickly and absorbs sauce well, producing a creamy, comforting texture that works perfectly in baked one-pot dishes.
Meatball Orzo Ingredients
- Olive oil – or sunflower oil (avoid extra virgin for cooking at higher heat).
- Meatballs – your preferred type, ready-made or homemade.
- Onion, garlic and broccoli – fresh or frozen pre-chopped broccoli works well.
- Spices – chilli flakes and sweet smoked paprika.
- Orzo – dried.
- Passata – choose a good-quality passata for best flavour.
- Vegetable stock – a stock cube dissolved in hot water is fine.
- Mozzarella – grated works well; swap for another melting cheese if preferred.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – season to taste.
How to make Meatball Orzo Bake
1. Preheat the oven. In a baking dish combine oil, onion, garlic, broccoli, meatballs, paprika and chilli flakes. Season with salt and pepper and toss so everything is coated. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the dish from the oven and stir in the orzo, passata and vegetable stock. Mix well, cover with a lid or foil and return to the oven.
3. Bake for 15–25 minutes, checking at 15 minutes: orzo brands vary, and you want the pasta tender but not mushy. If the mixture looks too dry before the orzo is cooked, add a splash of water and continue baking.
4. Remove the cover, sprinkle over the mozzarella and bake uncovered for a further 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden. Check the orzo is cooked through and serve straight away.
Hint: If the bake dries out before the orzo is tender, stir in a little water and continue cooking until done.
Substitutions
- Vegetarian – swap the meatballs for vegetarian meatballs; the cooking method and timing remain the same.
- Vegan – use vegan meatballs and omit or replace the cheese with a vegan alternative.
Leftovers & reheating Orzo Pasta
In the fridge: Orzo can thicken after cooling. When reheating, add a splash of water (or even an ice cube) to restore moisture, then microwave or heat until piping hot.
In the freezer: Orzo is best eaten fresh but freezes acceptably. Texture may change and become denser; thaw and reheat gently with added liquid to loosen the pasta.
Recipe Tips
How to cook orzo
Orzo cooks quickly and absorbs liquid as it cooks, which can make it dry or sticky if left unattended. The recipe’s stock quantity should be sufficient, but keep an eye on the dish and add small amounts of hot water if the orzo needs extra time to become tender.
How to make this on the hob
- Heat oil in a sauté pan. Cook the onion, garlic and meatballs over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the meatballs brown.
- Add broccoli, chilli flakes, paprika, salt, pepper, orzo, passata and vegetable stock.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- When the orzo is tender, sprinkle with grated cheese and place under a grill for 5 minutes to brown, or cover and allow the cheese to melt.
More Orzo recipes…
Orzo
Chorizo Orzo
One Pot Pasta
Marry Me Chicken Orzo {One Pot Recipe}
One Pot
Orzo Bolognese {One Pot}
One Pot
Sausage Orzo Bake {Dump & Bake}
FAQs
A good non-stick baking dish or ovenproof sauté pan makes the process easier and reduces sticking.
This recipe is designed for orzo. Other pasta shapes may require different stock amounts and cooking times, so adjustments would be needed.
Tell me how you got on and rate the recipe below if you try it. I love seeing readers’ creations — tag photos on Instagram if you want to share.
Pin
Meatball Orzo Bake {One Pot}
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Olive oil
- 340 g (3/4 lb) Meatballs
- 1 Onion, Peeled and chopped
- 3 Garlic cloves, Peeled and chopped
- 300 g (10 oz) Broccoli
- 1/2 tsp Chilli flakes
- 2 tsp Sweet smoked paprika
- 300 g (10 oz) Dried orzo, Uncooked
- 500 g (2 cups) Passata
- 600 ml (2.5 cups) Vegetable stock, Made with a cube is fine
- 75 g (3 oz) Mozzarella
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200℃ fan / 220℃ / Gas Mark 7 / 400°F.
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In a baking dish, add the meatballs, onion, garlic, broccoli, chilli flakes, paprika, oil and seasoning. Toss to coat and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and stir in the orzo, passata and stock. Cover and bake for another 15–25 minutes, checking at 15 minutes. If it’s drying out, add a splash of water and continue until the orzo is tender.
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Remove the cover, sprinkle over the cheese and bake uncovered for 5 minutes until golden.
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Check the orzo is cooked through and serve.
To make on the hob:
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Heat oil in a sauté pan and cook onion, garlic and meatballs over medium heat for about 10 minutes until browned.
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Add broccoli, chilli flakes, paprika, salt, pepper, orzo, passata and stock.
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Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15–20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
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When the orzo is tender, sprinkle with cheese and place under the grill for 5 minutes until golden.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guide. Values are per portion unless stated otherwise.
Additional Info
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