Description
These creamy turkey meatballs are a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. Made with lean ground turkey and enveloped in a rich, velvety cream sauce infused with herbs, this recipe combines simple ingredients to create a delicious meal that pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- Optional: grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Mix the Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, chopped parsley, minced garlic, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined to avoid tough meatballs, then shape the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the formed meatballs to the skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning regularly to brown all sides evenly and ensure they are cooked through. Once done, remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the Cream Sauce: In the same skillet, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour to create a roux and cook for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Finish the Sauce and Simmer: Stir in the heavy cream and dried thyme, then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Return the browned meatballs to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Let everything simmer together for 5-7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are heated through.
- Serve: Serve the creamy turkey meatballs warm, optionally topped with grated Parmesan for extra richness and flavor.
Notes
- These meatballs are excellent served with mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles to soak up the delicious creamy sauce.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half.
- You can bake the meatballs instead of pan-frying by placing them on a baking sheet and cooking at 400°F (200°C) for 18-20 minutes.
- To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and all-purpose gluten-free flour.
