# APRICOT + ROSEMARY 'MEATBALLS' with creamy orzo

This recipe details how to make creamy orzo pasta topped with savory meatless spherical objects (meatballs) and a simple basil dressing.

- Servings: 4 servings
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Category: Drink
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 320 g orzo
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 150 g vegan cream cheese
- 1 lemon lemon, juice only
- 1 large handful basil, leaves picked
- olive oil
- 1 onion onion, peeled + chopped
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, peeled + chopped
- 100 g walnut halves
- 2 x 400g tins of borlotti beans, drained + rinsed
- 1 lemon lemon, zest only
- 2 sprigs sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked
- 100 g dried apricots
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 large pinch pepper
- 80 g breadcrumbs

## Instructions

1. Add oil to a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and cook for 8 minutes until caramelized.
3. Next, add the chopped garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until caramelized.
4. Transfer the caramelized onion and garlic to a food processor.
5. Add walnuts, dried apricots, tinned beans (such as borlotti), lemon zest, fresh rosemary, soy sauce, a pinch of salt, and a large pinch of pepper to the food processor.
6. Pulse the mixture until it has mostly broken down and no large pieces remain.
7. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.
8. Add breadcrumbs to the mixture and combine using your hands to give the mixture structure.
9. Shape the mixture into evenly-sized balls.
10. Add another splash of oil to the pan you used earlier.
11. Add the balls to the pan and fry them until they are crispy and brown on all sides.
12. Add vegetable stock to a large saucepan and bring it to a boil.
13. Add the orzo to the boiling vegetable stock and gently boil until al dente, stirring to prevent sticking.
14. When the orzo is cooked, reduce the heat and stir in vegan cream cheese.
15. Add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and pinches of salt and pepper to the orzo and mix well.
16. Finely chop a bunch of basil.
17. Combine the finely chopped basil with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl to make a simple dressing.
18. To serve, add the creamy orzo to bowls.
19. Top the orzo with the meatless meatballs and drizzle with the basil oil dressing.

## Equipment

- non-stick frying pan
- food processor
- large mixing bowl
- large saucepan
- bowl

## Tips

- If the meatball mixture feels too dry, add a drizzle of oil to help bind the ingredients.
- For the creamiest orzo, cook it in vegetable stock rather than boiling and draining, as this captures all the starch.
- Add extra hot water from a kettle to the orzo if necessary during cooking to prevent sticking and achieve desired consistency.
- You can use any type of tinned beans for the meatballs, such as borlotti beans.
- The recipe suggests calling the meatless spherical objects "meatballs" because they look and taste like them, despite being plant-based

## Source

- Original video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFvc42oM0if/?igsh=OHk5Z3R0dnRkd3Y1
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/f60d500a-36ed-43d7-a0fe-89de97f8327d
- Extracted: 2025-07-05

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt