Crockpot Marinara Meatballs and Orzo
This Crockpot Meatballs and Orzo tastes like adult SpaghettiOs but better! Frozen chicken meatballs and a jar of marinara go in the crockpot in the morning. Twenty minutes before dinner, stir in the orzo and kale and they cook right in the sauce. It's five ingredients, gluten-free, and simply delicious. My kids have requested it every night since!
Nostalgia in a bite 🍝
We're in the thick of Crock-tober, my series of "non-traditional" crockpot recipes. I've shared a few chicken recipes, some beef recipes, and now...we're on to meatballs! This is probably the simplest recipe I've ever shared, and I LOVE that. The world needs more "easy button" dinners, and this is one of them.
My favorite meatballs, Amylu, go into the crockpot frozen solid. Rao's, my long-time favorite marinara, goes on top with a cup of broth, and it all cooks low and slow. A couple cups of orzo go in at the end to soak up all that extra flavor. It's like adult SpaghettiOs!
Ingredients & Notes
- Meatballs - Use frozen for a longer cooking time. I love the Amylu brand and I get a big bag at Costco!
- Marinara - Use your favorite marinara sauce. I like Rao's and have been using it for years!
- Broth - I use chicken broth because the I used chicken meatballs for any type of broth works too.
- Vegetables - I use a little bit of kale (much to my kid's chagrin) but most any veggie will work like broccoli, peas, spinach, etc.
How to Make Marinara Crockpot Meatballs & Orzo
Ansley's Tips
- Use frozen meatballs. Frozen meatballs take longer to thaw and cook so they can sit in the crockpot for a few hours. Refrigerated meatballs work, but your cook time will be shorter.
- Shake the broth in the marinara jar. The first cup of broth thins out the sauce for the long cook, and shaking it in the empty jar gets the extra sauce off the sides.
- The orzo cooks on LOW. 15 to 20 minutes, even if the meatballs cooked on HIGH. Give everything a big stir first so the orzo is coated in liquid.
- Expect soft meatballs. Mine were so tender I could cut them with a spoon.
- Adjust the broth to your desired consistency. The orzo soaks up the liquid fast. For a soupier bowl, stir in more broth at the end.
- Use the veggie you have. Kale is what's I used but basically any veggie work - peas, broccoli, spinach.
How to Store Leftovers
Store extra orzo and meatballs in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to enjoy, heat up a serving in the microwave with a splash of broth or water to help loosen up the sauce. I also will heat up a serving in a pot on the stove with a splash of broth or water over medium heat too.
Check out these recipes for more easy dinners
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Recipe
Crockpot Marinara Meatballs and Orzo
Equipment
- 1 crockpot
Ingredients
- 24 oz frozen meatballs - I used Amylu basil chicken meatballs
- 24 oz marinara sauce - (I used Rao's)
- 3 cups broth - divided, plus more as needed
- 2 cups orzo - regular or gluten-free (I used gluten-free)
- 1 cup kale - or spinach, chopped
- parmesan cheese - for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Add the frozen meatballs and marinara sauce to the crockpot. Pour 1 cup of the broth into the empty marinara jar, put the lid on, and shake to get the rest of the sauce off the sides. Pour it into the crockpot and stir.24 oz frozen meatballs, 24 oz marinara sauce, 3 cups broth
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 - 6 hours or HIGH for 2 - 3 hours.
- Add the orzo, kale, and remaining 2 cups broth. Give everything a big stir so the orzo is well coated in liquid.2 cups orzo, 1 cup kale
- Cover and cook on LOW for 15 - 20 minutes (switch to LOW if you cooked on HIGH), until the orzo is tender and has soaked up most of the liquid.
- For a soupier consistency, stir in more broth a little at a time.
- Serve in bowls, topped with parmesan if you like.parmesan cheese
Notes
Orzo: regular and gluten-free orzo take the same amount of time.
Vegetables: swap the kale for spinach, peas, or broccoli.
Gluten-free: use gluten-free orzo and check the labels on your meatballs, marinara, and broth.
Dairy-free: skip the parmesan and check the label on your meatballs.
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