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One-Pot Lamb Meatballs With Tomato, Fennel and Orzo
Published April 23, 2024
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- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 2small fennel bulbs with stalks and fronds (about 1 pound)
- 1pound ground lamb
- 2½tablespoons fennel seeds, crushed
- Salt
- 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3(14-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1cup orzo
Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the fennel: Remove and reserve the fennel fronds. Finely chop the green fennel stalks and add the stalks to a medium bowl. (You should end up with about 1½ cups.) Coarsely chop the fennel bulbs and set aside.
- Step 2
Prepare the meatballs: To the bowl of fennel stalks, add the lamb, 1½ tablespoons fennel seeds and a hefty pinch of salt. Mix, squeezing the meat and fennel stalks with your hands to incorporate. Divide the lamb mixture into 16 portions and roll each into a ball.
- Step 3
In a large, deep 12-inch skillet (or pot, or braiser) over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the meatballs, leaving ½ inch of space in between them, and sear for 3 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and continue searing for 3 minutes on the other side, until golden brown. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside.
- Step 4
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the coarsely chopped fennel bulbs and a hefty pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned on the edges.
- Step 5
Add the garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon fennel seeds to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Step 6
Add the tomatoes and their juices to the skillet, roughly crushing them into big chunks as you add them to the pot or using a potato masher or with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in 1½ cups of water and a hefty pinch of salt. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a high simmer over medium. Partly cover the pot with a lid and boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Step 7
After 15 minutes, add the orzo and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the orzo is al dente, for 2 minutes less than what the packaging calls for (7 to 8 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Step 8
Divide among bowls and top with reserved fennel fronds.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
This is great! Added panko and egg to the meatballs cuz I can’t help myself (sorry Carolina). Other than that the recipe is amazing. The way it looks like a giant mess and then all comes together with the orzo and meatballs at the last minute is amazing. Super delicious. This has given me a lot of good ideas.
Add a stick of cinnamon and dried orange peel when tomatoes go in. Add minced mint to lamb meat balls. Serve with crumbled feta to taste. Cut back on salt and add black pepper.
Didn't realize fennel has so much to give, I especially loved the fennel fronds as a garnish. This became a weeknight staple for us, I like to add cumin seeds and paprika to the meatballs!
Def the mint elevates it as does a sprinkling of feta!
Unless you like overcooked meatballs, skip the boil for 15 minutes step. Add the orzo at the same time you add the meatballs back into the sauce.
Delicious. Has to use ground veal because HEB didn't have ground lamb. It was a bit more labor intensive than I anticipated with the fennel prep.
Just made this and it is delicious! Should have read the comments before (the mint addition sounds great) but we did add a little bit of cinnamon and red pepper flakes and it took it up a few notches.
Add a stick of cinnamon and dried orange peel when tomatoes go in. Add minced mint to lamb meat balls. Serve with crumbled feta to taste. Cut back on salt and add black pepper.
This is great! Added panko and egg to the meatballs cuz I can’t help myself (sorry Carolina). Other than that the recipe is amazing. The way it looks like a giant mess and then all comes together with the orzo and meatballs at the last minute is amazing. Super delicious. This has given me a lot of good ideas.
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