Vegetarian Meatball Casserole (Mediterranean Dump & Bake)

Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a large (9×13 inch or similar) casserole dish.

Dump: To the prepared dish, dump 1 lb orzo*, ½ cup finely diced red onion, ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (roughly chopped), ¼ cup halved kalamata olives, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic (minced), ½ tsp each salt, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, ¼ tsp black pepper, and 3 cups vegetable broth. Stir to combine, then nestle 1 8-oz block feta cheese into the center of the dish.

Bake: Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Add Meatballs: Stir everything well to disperse the feta (it should be soft and breakable, but some large chunks are okay). If the orzo looks dry or isn’t fully submerged, add additional broth (this will depends on your brand of orzo).Arrange 1 14-oz package frozen plant-based meatballs on top. Return to the oven, uncovered, until orzo is tender and meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve warm, optionally topped with fresh lemon zest and good crusty bread!