Seafood
Easy Steelhead Trout Recipe (One Pan Orzo + Balls)
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
25 minutes
Yield
4
This Easy Steelhead Trout Recipe (One Pan Orzo + Balls) is the ultimate recipe for those nights when you want something cozy and nourishing without the fuss. Everything comes together in one pan - tender steelhead trout with creamy orzo - creating a comforting meal packed with flavor and goodness, all while keeping cleanup to a minimum.
This Easy Steelhead Trout Recipe is the perfect trifecta of delicious, comforting, and nourishing. I love this dish because the omega-rich steelhead trout pairs beautifully with the creamy orzo, creating a simple one-pan dish that’s both indulgent and good for you.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Easy Steelhead Trout Recipe
- Healthy: The steelhead trout in this dish is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s, while the orzo and veggies provide fiber and essential vitamins, giving you a balanced meal that’s as good for your body as it is delicious
- Comforting: This recipe is so delicious and nourishing – perfect for those nights when you need a little extra TLC on your plate
- Easy: Make this Steelhead Trout Recipe for a quick lunch or dinner during a busy week, with minimal cleanup
🍲 Ingredients
Steelhead Trout – Steelhead trout is packed with high-quality protein and those all-important omega-3 fatty acids that are amazing for your heart, brain, and skin health. Plus, it’s loaded with vitamins and minerals like B12, selenium, and potassium.
Orzo – Orzo is that cute, little rice-shaped pasta that’s a total chameleon in the kitchen—it soaks up flavors like a dream and adds a lovely, comforting texture to any dish. And here’s a bonus: It’s made from semolina, which means it’s a good source of protein and complex carbohydrates, giving you sustained energy to power through your day (or night).
👩🍳 How to Make This Easy Steelhead Trout Recipe (One Pan Orzo + Balls)
- Add onion and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add salt, pepper, green onions and lemon zest and pulse again to combine.
- Add cubed trout and pulse just a quick 6-8 times until the trout is just broken down into pea-sized pieces. Don’t over pulse or it will become more like a paste.
- Add the trout mixture to a bowl with the egg and breadcrumbs and gently mix together to combine. Scoop out 1 1/2 tbsp per trout ball and use your hands to form into balls (makes about 16-18 balls). Place on a plate and when all balls are made, place in the fridge for 10 minutes to set.
- After 10 minutes remove the trout balls from the fridge. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the trout balls and sear for 2 minutes per side for about 4-6 minutes total. Remove from the pan to a paper towel lined plate.
- To make the orzo, keep the pan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter to the pan. When melted add garlic, shallots, green onions, salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add white wine and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the orzo and cook for another minute. Add in the chicken broth and cream, stir and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the trout balls back to the pan and keep at a simmer, stirring every few minutes, for 8-10 minutes with the lid mostly on until the orzo is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Set aside off of the heat. *Note: If the orzo is not quite done to your liking, add 1/4-1/2 cup more chicken broth and continue to cook until the orzo is al dente*
- Serve the creamy orzo with a few trout balls and topped with a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of a lemon wedge and fresh minced chives.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Less is more! When putting your cubed trout into the food processor, don’t overpulse it, or it will become more like a paste.
- Taste test your orzo before taking this dish off the stove. If it is not quite done to your liking, add 1/4-1/2 cup more chicken broth and continue to cook until it is al dente.
🗒 Substitutions
- For this Steelhead Trout recipe, you can substitute the trout for salmon.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, you can substitute the bread crumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs and orzo for gluten-free orzo. Just check the cooking instructions on the gluten-free orzo package, as the cooking time may vary.
🗒 Best served with
👝 How to Store Leftovers
You can store leftovers from this Steelhead Trout Recipe in an airtight container for up to four days.
🤔 Common Questions
Steelhead trout and salmon are both superstars in their own right. Steelhead trout has a slightly milder, sweeter taste that some folks prefer, while salmon brings that classic rich flavor we all know and love – it’s all about what makes your taste buds happy!
While orzo might look like rice, they’re actually two completely different foods. Orzo is a pasta made from wheat flour, shaped like large rice grains. Rice, on the other hand, is a grain all on its own. They cook up differently and bring their own unique textures to the table—orzo has that lovely pasta chew, while rice has its signature fluffy or sticky texture, depending on the type.
Easy Steelhead Trout Recipe (One Pan Orzo + Balls)
Ingredients
For the trout balls
For the orzo
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup dried orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup light / 10% cream
Toppings
- olive oil
- lemon wedges
- minced fresh chives (small bunch)
Instructions
- Prepare the Steelhead Trout
- Add onion and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add salt, pepper, green onions and lemon zest and pulse again to combine.
- Add cubed trout and pulse just a quick 6-8 times until the trout is just broken down into pea-sized pieces. Don't over pulse or it will become more like a paste.
- Add the trout mixture to a bowl with the egg and breadcrumbs and gently mix together to combine. Scoop out 1 1/2 tbsp per trout ball and use your hands to form into balls (makes about 16-18 balls). Place on a plate and when all balls are made, place in the fridge for 10 minutes to set.
- After 10 minutes remove the trout balls from the fridge. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the trout balls and sear for 2 minutes per side for about 4-6 minutes total. Remove from the pan to a paper towel lined plate.
- To make the orzo, keep the pan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter to the pan. When melted add garlic, shallots, green onions, salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add white wine and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the orzo and cook for another minute. Add in the chicken broth and cream, stir and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the trout balls back to the pan and keep at a simmer, stirring every few minutes, for 8-10 minutes with the lid mostly on until the orzo is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Set aside off of the heat. *Note: If the orzo is not quite done to your liking, add 1/4-1/2 cup more chicken broth and continue to cook until the orzo is al dente*
- Serve the creamy orzo with a few trout balls and topped with a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of a lemon wedge and fresh minced chives.
Notes
- You can substitute the trout for salmon if that’s what you have on hand.
- If you like this recipe, you’ll love our Delicious Salmon Balls
