Marinara Meatballs and Orzo

Ingredients

• 24 oz frozen meatballs (The author used Amylu basil chicken meatballs.)
• 24 oz marinara sauce (The author used Rao's.)
• 3 cup broth (Divided: 1 cup to rinse the marinara jar and 2 cups added with the orzo; plus more as needed for a soupier consistency.)
• 2 cup orzo (Regular or gluten-free; the author used gluten-free.)
• 1 cup kale (Chopped; spinach may be used instead.)
• Parmesan cheese (Optional, for serving.)

Steps

1. 1

   Add the frozen meatballs and marinara sauce to a slow cooker.

2. 2

   Pour 1 cup of the broth into the empty marinara jar. Put the lid on and shake the jar to loosen the sauce remaining on the sides.

3. 3

   Pour the broth from the jar into the slow cooker and stir to combine with the meatballs and sauce.

4. 4

   Cover and cook on LOW for 4–6 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours.

5. 5

   Add the orzo, chopped kale, and remaining 2 cups broth. Stir thoroughly so the orzo is coated in liquid.

6. 6

   Cover and cook on LOW for 15–20 minutes, switching to LOW first if the slow cooker was on HIGH, until the orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.

7. 7

   For a soupier consistency, stir in additional broth a little at a time, as needed.

8. 8

   Serve in bowls, topped with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Cooking time varies with the slow-cooker setting: the initial cook is 4–6 hours on LOW or 2–3 hours on HIGH, followed by 15–20 minutes on LOW. Broth amount beyond the specified 3 cups is adjustable for a soupier result. Meatball and marinara nutrition estimates vary by product. The source doesn't specify the type of broth.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• slow-cooked
• slow cooker
• comfort food
• gluten-free option