Greek-Style Turkey Meatballs

Prepare Ingredients

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring 8 cups water and 2 tsp. salt to a boil.

Prepare a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray.

Remove stem, seeds, and ribs, and cut bell pepper into 1/4" strips.

Coarsely chop parsley, leaves and stems.

Zest lemon, halve, and juice.

Quarter and peel onion. Finely dice 1/4 the onion (about 1/4 cup). Cut remaining 3/4 into 1/4" strips.

Form the Meatballs

In a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, half the parsley (reserve remaining for garnish), panko, diced onions, half the garlic salt (reserve remaining for sauce), and a pinch of pepper. Form mixture into 8 equally sized meatballs. Set aside.

Ambitious Kitchen tip: dip your hands in water before forming each meatball!

Roast the Meatballs and Vegetables

Place sliced onions and bell peppers on prepared baking sheet. Top with 2 tsp. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper. Massage oil and seasonings into vegetables. Spread into an even layer.

Add meatballs to baking sheet, nestling into vegetables in an even layer.

Roast in hot oven until meatballs reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees, 17-23 minutes.

While meatballs and vegetables roast, continue recipe.

Cook the Orzo

Once water is boiling, add orzo and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes.

Remove from burner. Drain in a wire-mesh strainer. Return orzo to pot.

Stir in 2 tsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. lemon zest (reserve remaining for sauce), 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (reserve remaining for sauce), 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cover and set aside.

While orzo cooks, continue recipe.

Make Sauce and Finish Dish

Combine yogurt, half the cheese (reserve remaining for garnish), 1 tsp. remaining lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. remaining lemon zest, remaining garlic salt, a pinch of pepper, and 1 tsp. water in another mixing bowl. Gently mash mixture with a fork until mostly smooth.

If sauce is too thick, add additional water, 1 tsp. at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Plate dish as pictured above, topping orzo with vegetables, meatballs, sauce, remaining cheese, and remaining parsley. Bon appétit!