If waiting 8 hours for a roast turkey to cook isn’t your thing, ditch the bird and make these Thanksgiving meatballs instead! If they don’t sound enticing enough, how does herb butter mixed into the meatballs sound?
Thanksgiving Turkey Meatballs and Gravy
This dish is inspired by my Herb Butter Roast Turkey Breast with Gravy and all you need is my delicious and easy Quick Cranberry Orange Sauce and my seriously good Mashed Potatoes. The meatballs are quite simple with only necessary ingredients added and are made with ground turkey with herb butter added for a truly amazing and comforting flavor.
Thanksgiving dinner anytime of year
How many times have you had a craving for the flavors of a roast turkey dinner with all the fixin’s during other seasons of the year? Well, I do all the time and this Thanksgiving Casserole is just what the Turkey Dr. ordered to satisfy you.
How to make One Pan Turkey Meatballs and Gravy
This dish is made casserole style – all in one pan so it couldn’t be easier. The meatballs are cooked in oil, then removed. Carrots, celery, onions and garlic are cooked in the same pan in butter with chicken stock added and the pan drippings (yum!) are thickened with flour. Then… those lovely meatballs are added back into the pan, then simmered on low so they cook through and the gravy thickens.
Turkey Meatballs in the oven or stove top
You can make this dish all on the stovetop, in the oven, or a combination of both. Start on the stove and finish in the oven. I’ve added both to the recipe instructions below.
How to know when the Meatballs are cooked
The best way is to use a meat thermometer, they should read 165°F/73°C. If you have browned them evenly and cooked them for the 15 minutes in the oven, this should be sufficient time for a golf ball sized meatball.
Tips for the making the best Meatballs
Don’t be heavy handed with the meat; mix it gently. Mix it only until all the ingredients are incorporated or they could turn out tough and chewy. Refrigerate them before cooking. This gives helps them keep their shape while cooking. You want your meatballs to stay ball shaped, after all! Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking. Space these little guys out in an even layer. If they touch each other they will steam and not brown. (see picture above). Add melted butter along with milk. Because turkey is lean, the added fat makes them very tender and soft and the milk adds moisture.
This recipe yields 16 turkey meatballs that are slightly smaller than a golf ball.
