Turkey Meatball Orzo Salad with Veggies
Looking for a crowd pleaser that has some “Wow Factor,” but doesn’t take all day to make? Put this beautiful and delicious Turkey Meatball Orzo Salad with Veggies on your menu, and you’ll be set!
Ingredients
- 1, 1 pound bag Simek’s Half-Ounce Turkey Meatballs, halved
- 1 cup water, divided + more as needed
- 1 pound Orzo pasta, cooked
- 1, 16 ounce package pre-cut butternut squash* (about 3 cups)
- 2 cups red onion, chopped
- 1 ½ cups 16 ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, drained & chopped
- 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1, 15 ounce can black eyed peas (or other beans), drained and rinsed
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 4 – 5 cups fresh arugula, lightly packed + more to taste
- 4 – 6 ounces fresh Feta cheese, crumbled + more to taste
- 2 large fresh lemons, sliced
- 4 Tbsp light olive oil, + more to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
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Cook the meatballs on the stove top, or in the oven or microwave, according to directions on the package. I like to cook them in a skillet over medium heat which caramelizes them a bit for added color and flavor. Just add a little water to the pan, and turn them a few times. Cover to keep warm until you’re ready to add them to the salad.
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Prepare a pasta pot with salted water, and cook the orzo according to package directions. When pasta is al dente, drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, stir well, cover, and set aside. Add reserved pasta water as needed, and stir to combine.
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In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ½ cup water, and sauté the cubed butternut squash 10 – 12 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized. When squash is cooked, transfer to a bowl, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
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Chop onions. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and sauté the chopped red onion for a minute or two, just until it softens slightly. You want a little crunch left in the onions for best flavor in the salad.
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Chop the roasted peppers, halve the olives, drain and rinse the black eyed peas.
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In a large skillet, add the cooked orzo, onions, squash, peppers, olives, black eyed peas (or other beans), and golden raisins, Allow ingredients to warm, and toss well to ingredients.
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To Serve: Spoon warm salad into a large serving bowl or platter. Toss in the arugula and feta. Serve warm or at room temperature with plenty of fresh lemon slices. Refrigerate any leftovers in a covered container for up to two days.
Recipe Notes
*To keep prep time down, pre-cut butternut squash is a great time-saver! Butternut squash brings lots of great flavor to this salad.
*If you want extra color and “pop”, reserve a few tablespoons of each of the chopped ingredients, and garnish the salad with them just before serving.
*To prepare ahead: Prepare the orzo and do all of the chopping and sautéing up to a day in advance. Combine and warm ingredients per instructions above. Garnish and serve.