Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze (Printable version)
Tender baked turkey meatballs glazed with tangy-sweet cranberry sauce. Ideal for entertaining or weeknight dinners.
# What you need:
→ Turkey Meatballs
01 - 1 pound ground turkey
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 tablespoons milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1/2 small onion, finely grated
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
→ Cranberry Glaze
11 - 1 cup cranberry sauce, whole berry or jellied
12 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
13 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - Pinch of salt
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, parsley, minced garlic, grated onion, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Mix gently until just combined, avoiding overworking the meat.
03 - Shape mixture into 1-inch diameter meatballs and arrange evenly on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart.
04 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and golden brown.
05 - While meatballs bake, whisk together cranberry sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
06 - Transfer cooked meatballs to a large bowl. Pour warm cranberry glaze over meatballs and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These meatballs have this magical balance where the cranberry glaze caramelizes slightly in the oven, creating little bursts of flavor that make people ask what your secret is.
- You can prep the meatballs ahead of time and just warm and glaze right before serving, which has saved me countless times when hosting.
02 -
- Meatballs should be similar in size to ensure even cooking I learned this after serving a batch with some overcooked tiny ones and some worryingly pink larger ones.
- The glaze will thicken significantly as it cools, so remove it from heat while its still pourable you can always warm it again if needed.
03 -
- If your turkey mixture feels too wet to form properly, refrigerate it for 30 minutes this trick has rescued many batches when Im in a hurry and dont have extra breadcrumbs.
- For an impressive presentation at parties, keep the meatballs warm in a slow cooker with the glaze poured over them guests can help themselves throughout the evening while they stay perfectly tender.