Thanksgiving Turkey Cranberry Meatballs
Juicy turkey meatballs flavored with herbs and bits of cranberry, simmered in or topped with a sweet-tart cranberry glaze — a festive bite that tastes like Thanksgiving.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet or skillet
- Saucepan
- Spoon or whisk
Ingrédients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey lean or regular
- ½ cup instant mashed potato flakes or breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup onion finely minced
- 2 Tbsp dried cranberries chopped (or fresh if you like)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cranberry Glaze
- 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce canned or homemade
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter or a dairy-free alternative
- 1 tsp orange zest plus 2 Tbsp orange juice (optional for tang)
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C) or heat a skillet over medium heat.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, potato flakes (or breadcrumbs), egg, onion, cranberries, garlic powder, sage, salt, and a bit of pepper.
- Form the mixture into small meatballs (about 1-inch diameter).
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment (or in the skillet) and bake or cook until golden and cooked through (internal temperature ~165°F / 74°C), about 20-25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter then add the cranberry sauce, orange zest and juice (if using), and simmer gently until the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened.
- Once meatballs are done, transfer them to the saucepan and gently coat them with the cranberry glaze.
- Serve warm, garnished with extra cranberries or a sprig of parsley if desired.
Notes
These meatballs are perfect as an appetizer for Thanksgiving or as part of a main course. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen for future meals.