Italian or anything pasta related is always delicious with venison and this Italian Orzo & Venison Meatballs needs to be on your list to make ASAP! It’s creamy, flavourful and perfect in every way.

a white bowl of cream orzo with fresh basil. sun dried tomatoes and meatballs

Italian Meatballs are a staple that I make almost weekly with ground venison. They are juicy, easy to make and always turn out perfect. I’ve served them with marinara sauce, in marry me pasta and on meatball subs but I have to say that this creamy Italian Orzo is the PERFECT vessel for them.

For this recipe, you start by mixing up the ground meat with breadcrumbs, parmesan and spices. Scoop that into meatballs and bake until cooked through. While the meatballs bake, you boil the orzo and make the sauce. It is a simple creamy white wine alfredo type sauce loaded with fresh garlic. Once the orzo is cooked, stir it into that creamy sauce with sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil, then serve it topped with the meatballs.

I love this dish because it is easy enough to make on a weeknight but looks like it belongs in a restaurant. You can sub the orzo with any kind of pasta you like and if you are gluten free use brown rice pasta. The Italian Meatballs can be made in advance and reheated in the oven to make dinner time even quicker! I hope you try this one.

a white bowl of orzo pasta in a creamy white wine sauce with fresh basil and meatballs

Tips for Making Perfect Creamy Italian Orzo & Venison Meatballs

I always recommend making your venison meatballs with ground meat that has at least 10-15% fat added. This helps ensure that the meatballs stay juicy and tender when baked.
When making the creamy white wine sauce, ensure that you don’t have your heat too high or you can break the sauce and burn the milk. A low to medium heat is all you need for the sauce to thicken.
Always add the basil in right at the end as it holds the best flavor when it isn’t cooked!

Italian Orzo & Venison Meatball Ingredients

Ground Venison– This can be deer, elk, moose, bear, beef etc.

Parmesan– Use freshly grated as it melts the smoothest.

Breadcrumbs– Use gluten free if you need.

Fresh Basil– A great recipe to enjoy some of that fresh garden basil.

Egg- An egg helps bind the meatballs and add some additional fat.

Orzo– This is a small almost rice shaped pasta, but you can use almost any kind of noodle you like.

Butter– Salted is best.

Onion– White or yellow or even a shallot work.

Garlic– Fresh minced.

Milk- I use milk in place of cream to keep it lighter.

Broth– Vegetable, chicken are best for lighter flavor.

Cornstarch– This helps thicken the sauce without using cream.

Sun Dried Tomatoes– Slice them as small as you’d like.

White Wine– This adds such a delicious layer of flavour and the alcohol gets cooked through. If you prefer you can sub with more broth.

a tray of meatballs and a skillet of creamy orzo

The Steps

Start by preheating your oven to 350F and lining a baking sheet with parchment.
Then, add all of the meatball ingredients to a medium sized bowl and stir until combined.
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the meat into roughly 24 meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 160-165F.
While the meatballs bake, boil the orzo like you would pasta until al dente, then strain and set aside.
Next, add the butter to a skillet over medium heat.
Once melted, add in the diced onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
Add in the wine, and allow it to reduce down for another couple minutes.
When the wine has reduced by about half, add in the broth, milk and cornstarch mixture, and stir.
Cook over medium low heat just until it begins to thicken. Stir in the shredded parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Finally, turn off the heat and stir in the sun dried tomatoes and cooked orzo.
Right before serving, stir in the fresh chopped basil then spoon into bowls topped with the meatballs and enjoy!

a skillet full of creamy orzo with basil and tomatoes

a white bowl full of creamy white wine orzo pasta with meatballs

If you give this recipe a try, leave a comment or recipe review below!

Looking for more delicious pasta recipes to try?

https://cmbarndominium.com/simple-and-delicious-roasted-red-pepper-burrata-pasta/

https://cmbarndominium.com/easy-flavourful-cowboy-butter-steak-pasta/

https://cmbarndominium.com/how-to-make-homemade-venison-ricotta-ravioli/


			
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Creamy Italian Orzo & Venison Meatballs



				
				Yield: 
				4 servings 
			
	
						
				Prep Time: 
				15 minutes 
			
					
				Cook Time: 
				20 minutes 
			
					
				Total Time: 
				35 minutes 
			
			

		
			Creamy orzo full of sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil topped with juicy Italian venison meatballs.
		
		
	
	
		
	
			

				
		Ingredients

												For the Meatballs
						
									
						1 1/2 lbs ground venison (deer, elk, moose etc)					
									
						1 egg					
									
						1/2 cup bread crumbs					
									
						1/4 cup grated parmesan					
									
						2 tsp Italian Seasoning					
									
						1 tsp salt & pepper					
									
						1/2 tsp garlic powder					
									
						1-2 tbsp fresh chopped basil					
							
												For the Orzo
						
									
						1 1/2 cups dry orzo					
									
						1/4 cup salt butter					
									
						1/2 a white onion finely diced					
									
						4 cloves fresh garlic minced					
									
						1/2 cup white wine					
									
						2/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth					
									
						3/4 cup milk					
									
						1/2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water					
									
						salt & pepper to taste					
									
						1 cup grated parmesan 					
									
						1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes sliced					
									
						1/2 cup fresh chopped basil					
							
			
		
		
		Instructions
		Start by preheating your oven to 350F and lining a baking sheet with parchment. 
Then, add all of the meatball ingredients to a medium sized bowl and stir until combined. 
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the meat into roughly 24 meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet. 
Bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 160-165F. 
While the meatballs bake, boil the orzo like you would pasta until al dente, then strain and set aside. 
Next,  add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. 
Once melted, add in the diced onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. 
Add in the wine, and allow it to reduce down for another couple minutes. 
When the wine has reduced by about half, add in the broth, milk and cornstarch mixture, and stir. Cook over medium low heat just until it begins to thicken. 
Stir in the shredded parmesan and season with salt and pepper. 
Finally, turn off the heat and stir in the sun dried tomatoes and cooked orzo. 
Right before serving, stir in the fresh chopped basil then spoon into bowls topped with the meatballs and enjoy!
	
	
		Notes
		
			
* If you are gluten free simply replace the orzo with brown rice penne. 
* If you do not hunt, the meatballs can also be made with beef. 

		
	
	
		
	

		
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			© morganmckay
	
	

		
					Category: Dinner

Creamy Italian Orzo & Venison Meatballs

Tips for Making Perfect Creamy Italian Orzo & Venison Meatballs

Italian Orzo & Venison Meatball Ingredients

The Steps