One pot meals are my favorite for a quick weeknight dinner. Less clean up, less hassle, no boxes. Bonus. Swedish Meatball Orzo is a perfect example. It isn’t actual meatballs, but it DOES have all the flavor of your favorite Swedish Meatballs and none of the hassle of rolling actual meatballs.
Swedish Meatball Orzo
I know. I thought the same thing. How can I call this Swedish MEATBALL orzo when ahhh, there’s no actual meatballs in it?
Because I said so. That’s why.
I’ve got that phrase down to a science in its delivery, with 7 kids in the house.
Really though? I couldn’t think of another good thing to call this that would convey the same message. This tastes JUST LIKE your favorite Swedish meatballs recipe, but it takes about 30 minutes to make, and is way way less work than its more traditional counterpart.
We LOVE this orzo recipe. I love pasta in almost any form, and rice and I have a carby thing going on, and orzo is basically rice shaped pasta sooooo – Yup. My new favorite. It also is easy to cook, quick, and does a lighting fast side dish, or in this case – a main dish!
30 minutes, one pot, and no weird ingredients here.
Try all of our Easy Orzo Recipes!
Swedish Meatball Orzo shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Garlic salt
- Pepper
- Onion powder
- Nutmeg
- Beef broth
- Orzo
- Sour cream
Try our Green Greek Salad with this!
How to make Swedish Meatball Orzo
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Brown
Put the ground beef and onion in a medium to large saute pan and season with the garlic salt, pepper, onion powder, and nutmeg. Break apart. Add the diced garlic during the last 1 minute of cooking.
(Get a meat masher if you don’t have one. It’ll change your ground beef life!)
Drain excess fat.
2
Simmer
Add the beef broth and orzo, cover, and reduce the heat to low to medium-low, so the mixture stays at a low simmer.
Stir occasionally to prevent stinking and clumping.
Cook until the orzo is tender.
3
Finish
Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream.
4
Enjoy
Serve with a green salad and a loaf of crusty bread!
Try my Smoked Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup!
Swedish Meatball Orzo FAQ
Here are some questions we get fairly often from readers. If you have additional questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below! We read and answer all of our comments.
What’s the best way to store and reheat leftovers?
These leftovers are simple and reheat really well! Orzo also holds up without getting mushy, too. This makes our Swedish Meatball Orzo recipe perfect for make-ahead lunches. It reheats in the microwave. Throw a splash of milk on there to loosen things up if you like it saucy.
Can you use another type of ground meat?
Sure! If you want to make it more authentic, you can use some ground veal and/or ground pork in the ground meat mix. A dash of allspice will also add another flavor note too, if you are feeling adventurous!
Are there any other one-pot pasta dishes here that make great quick dinners?
You know it! That is kind of our speciality, so don’t skip out on our Homemade Hamburger Helper, Traeger Cheesy Italian Shells, and the Parmesan Noodles with Asparagus.
Try our Swedish Meatballs Recipe too!
Serve this with…
Pick a few of your favorites! These would all work well next to our Swedish Meatball Orzo.
More delicious recipes and posts to see!
- Traeger Ham and Cheese Scalloped Potato Casserole
- A5 Wagyu vs American Wagyu
- Smoked Chuck Tender Roast
- Smoked Pulled Wild Hog Sandwiches
- Traeger Stuffed Pork Chops
- Grilled Peaches
- Crispy Blackstone Chicken Wings
- Smoked Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
- Smoked Beef Bacon Jalapeno Poppers
- Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Smoked Pickled Jalapeños
- Rockfish and Spot Prawn Ceviche
- Traeger Smoked Cream Cheese Pasta
Swedish Meatball Orzo
Want Swedish Meatballs but not all the work? Turn it into a pasta dish that has all of the same flavors, but none of the manual labor.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- dash nutmeg
- 1 clove garlic, diced
- 3 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup orzo
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Put the ground beef and onion in a medium to large saute pan and season with the garlic salt, pepper, onion powder, and nutmeg.
- Break apart.
- Add the diced garlic during the last 1 minute of cooking.
- Add in the beef broth and orzo and reduce heat to medium-low.
- Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Continue cooking and stirring until the orzo is tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.
- Serve hot with crusty bread and a green salad.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 371Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 759mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 37g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!
CarlUK
Wednesday 20th of November 2024
Instructions "Put the ground beef and onion in a medium to large saute pan and season with the garlic salt, pepper, onion powder, and nutmeg..." - I think you've missed out an instruction to turn on the cooker.
Nicole Johnson
Wednesday 20th of November 2024
Fair enough. Some of this at a certain point needs to be common sense, though. ;) I'm one person running this website, and I'm my own editor. Occasionally you'll find errors and omissions in the recipe. Good news is that already over 60 people have successfully made this recipe, so I'm sure most can figure out to turn the stove on. Fingers crossed! I appreciate the head's up. I'll get that edited in for clarity.
Amanda
Wednesday 15th of May 2024
The recipe calls for a garlic clove, but no instructions on addition to recipe
Nicole Johnson
Wednesday 15th of May 2024
Good catch! Fixing that now. You can really add in whenever, and it'll be great, but ideally it would be added during the last minute or two of sautéeing the beef and onion.
Debra
Saturday 19th of March 2022
I was looking for an easy meal using ground beef when I saw this and tried it last night. I really enjoyed it with a side of fresh mushrooms and spinach sauteed in olive oil. Thank you for this simple recipe!
Nicole Johnson
Sunday 20th of March 2022
That's awesome! I bet it was perfect with the mushrooms and spinach. Sounds delicious! I need to make this again soon. It has been a while!
Hanna B
Monday 10th of December 2018
Found this recipe in a google search for one pot orzo recipes. The Swedish meatball flavor is spot on! I found it a little soupy so would probably reduce the amount of beef broth next time.
Nicole Johnson
Wednesday 12th of December 2018
Thanks, Hanna! I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the notes! The thickness can definitely vary based on what ingredients you used. I hope it turns out perfect for you!