Greek Meatballs with Orzo & Cucumber Salad
Spicy lamb meatballs served over lemony orzo and roasted zucchini and a tangy cucumber salad.
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchinis sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 lb ground lamb (or chicken, beef, or turkey)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- 4 tbsp fresh oregano minced
- 1 tsp cayenne powder
- zest of one lemon
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half length-wise
- juice of one lemon divided
- 1 large English cucumber diced
- 1 shallot diced
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Toss the zucchini slices with 1 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- While the zucchini cooks, mix the lamb with the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, minced oregano, cayenne powder, lemon zest, and a large pinch of salt. Coat your hands with some olive oil and roll the meat mixture into 1 to 1-1/2 inch balls (about 1 ½ tbsp of meat). You should have about 12-15 meatballs.
- Remove the baking tray with the zucchini from the oven. Flip the zucchini slices over and move the zucchini towards the edges of the tray to make space for the meatballs. Place the meatballs on the tray leaving about an inch or two between each ball. Place the tray with the zucchini and meatballs back into the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through on the inside.
- While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the orzo according to the package instructions. Once cooked and drained well, mix well with 1 tbsp of olive oil, the cherry tomatoes, the juice of half a lemon, salt to taste, and a large pinch of ground pepper. Set aside.
- While the meatballs are cooking, make the cucumber salad by mixing the diced cucumbers, diced shallot, 1 tbsp of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- To serve, add some orzo to a bowl and top with the meatballs, zucchini, and the cucumber salad. Enjoy!