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One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Rice. Quick, easy, colorful, and delicious! Pan seared meatballs made with herbs, shallots, garlic, and spices are cooked together with buttery, lemon-toasted rice pilaf. These skillet meatballs are finished with garlic tahini and a generous scoop of Tzatziki sauce. A Greek-inspired dinner that’s SO GOOD – everyone will love it!
Every year around this time, I crave Greek-inspired dishes. Basically, if I can think of a dish that can be served with Tzatziki, I’m all in. Since we’re all fans of a good meatball dish (they’re always a crowd-pleaser), I came up with the idea of skillet meatballs packed with fresh spring herbs and spices, then paired with bright, lemony rice. It’s fresh, flavorful, and feels just right for the season.
The flavors sounded really nice together, so I asked my cousin Abby about the idea. She quickly agreed that I should indeed make some herby garlic meatballs, so I did just that!
Isn’t it crazy, I used to think meatball dishes were not for me. I’m so happy I finally gave them a try!
I really wanted to keep the recipe simple and not overcomplicate it. This is simply an easy yet delicious skillet and rice dinner!
The meatballs are filled with fresh springtime herbs. We love basil and dill, and I added the yummiest mix of spices. The recipe came together quickly, and ended up being so delicious!
I chose to use ground lamb mixed with ground chicken to make my meatballs. You can use beef, chicken, or lamb. My mom prefers either all beef or all chicken, but my oldest brother loves when I use lamb. He says it is his favorite. Use what you know you will enjoy the most! Create a recipe you’ll love!
Now, let’s talk about the details
Ingredients
- ground beef or lamb (or a mix)
- shallots
- garlic
- an egg
- panko bread crumbs
- basil leaves
- dill
- smoked paprika
- cumin
- chipotle chili powder
- salt and black pepper
- salted butter
- orzo
- rice
- lemon juice
For serving
- sesame seeds
- Tzatziki sauce
- garlic tahini
Special Tools
A Dutch oven, sauté pan, or skillet with a lid. Just make sure you pan has a lid.
Steps
Step 1: Mix the meatballs
To make the meatballs, use whatever type of ground meat you enjoy most. Mix the meat with a small chopped shallot, garlic, an egg, panko breadcrumbs, fresh basil, dill, smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle, salt, and pepper.
I like to use my hands to mix this all up!
Step 2: cook the meatballs
Next, use a big skillet or saute pan with a tight lid to sear the meatballs until they are browned all over.
The fat in the meat should render and help brown the meatballs beautifully! But you’ll need a little oil at first, I would just use a little butter.
Step 3: add the rice
Next, add the 4 tablespoons of butter, then add dry orzo and dry rice. I love to use jasmine or basmati rice.
Using a combination of pasta and rice makes this more like a Rice-A-Roni or a rice pilaf bake. It’s such a nice addition. It’s perfect if you have an almost empty box of orzo just sitting in the pantry waiting to be used. Something I always seem to have.
Allow the rice and orzo to toast a bit. Now add water and fresh lemon juice. Cover and let everything cook for a bit. The meatballs will finish cooking with the rice. It works out so well!!
Step 4: serve
To serve, I love to make a lemon garlic tahini. It’s simply tahini mixed with lemon juice, garlic, and toasted sesame seeds. If necessary, add a little water to thin this out.
Don’t forget my beloved tzatziki sauce!! Oh, and I always add fresh basil with a sprinkle of sea salt. Delish! This dish is healthy and full of the yummiest flavors!
Looking for other skillet dinners? Here are my favorites:
One Skillet Louisiana Style Chicken and Rice
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake
Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce.
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Lastly, if you make this One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Rice, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or lamb, (or a mix)
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- salt and black pepper
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup dry orzo
- 1 cup rice
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- sesame seeds, tzatziki, and tahini for serving
Instructions
- 1. Add the meat, shallot, garlic, egg, panko, basil, dill, paprika, cumin, chipotle, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (14-15 meatballs).2. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sear until crisp on all sides, 5-8 minutes.3. Add the butter, orzo, and rice. Cook until the rice is toasted. Add 3 cups of water and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover the skillet and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and allow to cook another 10-15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.4. Serve the meatballs and rice topped with tahini, tzatziki, and fresh basil. Sometimes I like to add avocado too!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I’ve been a fan forever and had many successful meals with your recipes. This one was not it. It took FOREVER to make and the meatballs did not cook through when I followed the recipe. Love the idea. But, in reality it was a pain for what looked like a pretty straight forward recipe.
Hi Laura,
I appreciate your kind message and making so many recipes over the years. I am so sorry to hear this one did not turn out for you! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
I have never found a recipe from Half Baked Harvest that I have not loved. I also have two little ones and since they were about a year old, I have fed them all the recipes I cook from here (this is also the only place I get recipes from unless it’s one passed down from my mom), and they have loved them too! This one did not disappoint. We love to mix up our dinners with a little Greek inspired recipe from time to time and this one (like all the others) is so yummy!
Hey Samantha,
Big thanks for making this recipe and sharing back. So glad it hit the spot!
Have the best week!
Loved this, very delicous!
I added capsicum and Zucchini fried in before adding the rice
I took all the meatballs out to fit the veg in to fry, and then added them back in, I also popped it into the oven for the last 10 mins at 180
Hi Kim,
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and taking the time to comment.
Have a great weekend!
This is one of my favorite dinners I’ve made in a long time. So comforting and full of flavor. Using lamb and beef together makes all the difference. Even my very picky toddler ate all of her food tonight! Last week I made your Thai peanut chicken noodle bowls and it was well loved. Next, I’m making your Peruvian chicken with creamy green sauce. I can’t wait!
Thanks so much, Danica! Love to hear you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it!
My husband and I made these for meal prep last week, and they were delicious! I even added a little hummus on the side as a “dip” for the meatball, but I just like an excuse to eat hummus, haha.
The orzo / rice portion was so wonderful that we made a different meatball recipe this week, but we cooked them the same way as this recipe with the lemon orzo as the base! It’s so versatile – we had no issues with needing to add more liquid, but we did use bone broth instead of water for extra flavor!
Hey Jenna,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well for you!
Hi, could I do all Rice and no orzo. And
if so how much rice?
Hi Katie,
Sure, that should be okay for you to do! I would just skip the orzo and keep the rice at 1 cup.
I hope you love this dish!
What would you recommend for reheating the next day? I’m dropping off at a friends house. Should I serve in a casserole dish and tell them to put in the oven to reheat? Or back on the stove??
Hi Ashleigh,
I would just cover with foil and pop in the oven on low. I hope this helps!
Hello – has anyone tried it with Pork Meatballs?
Hi Betty,
Pork meatballs would be a great option here. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try!
Nutritional info? I know it’s an estimate but that’s better than none.
Hi Marianne,
So sorry, I do not have that information at this time. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
This was so good! The orzo rice combo was delicious (I did deglaze the pan with a cup of wine in place of one of the cups of water). I wish I hadn’t added the cumin, but the rest was great.
Hey Aly, Thanks so much for making this recipe, I’m so glad to hear it was a hit! Have a great day! xT
Hi there! Thinking about adding this into the rotation this week 🙂 What are your thoughts on using ground turkey instead of lamb or beef?
Hi Sheila! I think that should work just fine! I would imagine the turkey might cook a little fast so just keep an eye on them as they cook! Hope you enjoy! xT
Lemme do you a favor: DONT add 3 cups of water to the pot, add chicken stock or broth. I used water and the lemon is definitely overpowering. I think if I had used chicken stock, it would’ve given it a depth of richness and added the savor it was lacking. But as far as ease, oh my goodness this recipe was surprisingly easy and there were barely any dishes. This overtired mom really appreciated it
Hi Josie! Thank you SO much for trying out recipe! I really appreciate the feedback, and I’m glad you found this recipe was easy and yummy despite the hiccup! xT
So delicious! And what is very important, all in one pot. Love it.
Thank you so much Tieghan
Hi there! Yes, this is such a yummy one skillet dinner! I am SO happy to hear you enjoyed it! xT
Delicious and easy to make! I froze half the meatballs for future use, which was so convenient the next time I made this dish.
Hey Alyssa,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your feedback, I’m so glad it was a hit! xx