Saucy Braised Garlic Butter Meatballs with Orzo
Rating
Perfect as a simple family dinner yet equally great for holiday entertaining!
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds ground chicken, pork, or beef
- ¾ pound spicy Italian chicken sausage (see note)
- 1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning (see note)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- 1 egg
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 4-6 large cloves garlic
- 6 cups marinara sauce
- 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 6 sprigs fresh sage or rosemary
- 1 pound orzo pasta, cooked
Instructions
- STOVE TOP
- Add the chicken, sausage, Italian seasoning, parmesan, poblano pepper, and egg to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Coat your hands with oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (around 22 meatballs).
- Heat a large braiser with sides over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, then add the meatballs and lightly sear, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Let the butter brown around the meatballs, another 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the marinara sauce, tomatoes, and add ¾ cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and basil. Reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer 20 minutes, until cooked through, or up to 3-4 hours, stirring every hour.
- Remove the garlic cloves from the meatballs. Add both the butter, sage, and garlic to a skillet set over medium heat. Mash the garlic into the butter, allowing the butter to brown and some of the garlic to get crispy.
- Before serving, cook the orzo. Toss the orzo in the garlic butter.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over the orzo. Top with parmesan and basil.
- CROCKPOT
- Add the chicken, sausage, Italian seasoning, parmesan, poblano pepper, and egg to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Coat your hands with oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (around 22 meatballs). Place the meatballs in the bowl of your crockpot.
- Pour in the marinara sauce, tomatoes, and add ¾ cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the garlic, and basil. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the meatballs and garlic from the crockpot and place on a baking sheet.
- Arrange the butter and the sage around the meatballs and garlic, then broil 1-3 minutes, until crisp. Add the meatballs back to the sauce.
- Before serving, cook the orzo. Chop the garlic and mix with the butter and sage on the sheet pan, then mix with the orzo.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over the orzo. Top with parmesan and basil.
All rights and material belong to owners halfbakedharvest.com