Description
These Thanksgiving Meatballs feature herbed turkey meatballs encasing flavorful stovetop stuffing, baked until tender and finished in a rich homemade gravy. Perfect for a comforting holiday meal, they bring all the classic turkey dinner flavors in a convenient meatball form.
Ingredients
Scale
Stuffing Ingredients
- 1 6-ounce box stuffing mix, divided
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds ground 85% lean ground turkey or chicken
- 1 large egg
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Vegetables and Herbs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- ½ small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage (approx. 6 leaves or substitute with 1 teaspoon dried sage)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme (approx. 12-16 sprigs or substitute with a heaping ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (approx. 2 sprigs or substitute with a heaping ½ teaspoon dried rosemary)
Gravy Ingredients
- ½ cup white wine
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 tablespoon chicken base
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Optional: ½ teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F, positioning a rack in the upper third. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy cleanup and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare Stuffing Balls: Measure ½ cup of the stuffing breadcrumbs into a small bowl and reserve. Prepare the stuffing mix according to the box instructions and allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, portion the stuffing into 16 tablespoon-sized balls, roll by hand, and arrange on a small plate or baking sheet. Freeze these balls until ready to assemble.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add diced celery and onion along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add garlic and fresh herbs, cooking for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
- Mix Meatball Base: Crush the reserved stuffing breadcrumbs into fine pieces and combine in a large mixing bowl with the sautéed aromatics and the egg. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Mix well by hand, then add the ground turkey and gently mix until just combined—avoid over-mixing to keep meatballs tender.
- Assemble Meatballs: Remove frozen stuffing balls. Divide the meat mixture into 16 equal portions. Flatten each portion into a 2-3 inch wide patty, place a stuffing ball in the center, wrap the meat around it, and seal tightly. Roll gently into a ball and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake the assembled meatballs in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Sear Meatballs: While the meatballs bake, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Transfer the par-baked meatballs carefully to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare Gravy: Deglaze the skillet with white wine, scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour into chicken stock to create a smooth slurry. Add the slurry, chicken base, garlic powder, onion powder, and Kitchen Bouquet (if using) to the skillet. Whisk constantly and cook until the gravy thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
- Simmer Meatballs in Gravy: Reduce heat to medium-low, add browned meatballs back to the skillet, and coat them well with gravy. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing flavors to meld and the meatballs to finish cooking.
- Serve: Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Serve the Thanksgiving meatballs over creamy mashed potatoes or your preferred starchy side, paired with classic holiday dishes for a festive meal.
Notes
- These Thanksgiving meatballs capture all the comforting flavors of a traditional turkey dinner in a unique and delicious meatball form.
- Handle the meat mixture gently; over-mixing can lead to dry, tough meatballs. Mixing just until combined ensures tenderness.
- For serving, creamy mashed potatoes work wonderfully, but you can also complement the meal with green bean casserole, roasted vegetables, sweet potato casserole, or a festive salad.
- Kitchen Bouquet is optional but adds color and depth to the gravy.
- Extra prepared stuffing can be served on the side as a traditional accompaniment.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe (about 3 meatballs)
- Calories: 439
- Sugar: 4.8 g
- Sodium: 1030.7 mg
- Fat: 22.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.3 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 23.7 g
- Cholesterol: 127.7 mg
