Description
These Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze combine tender, juicy ground turkey meatballs with a vibrant, tangy cranberry and orange glaze for a festive and flavorful dish perfect for holiday meals or parties.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1.25 lb ground turkey
- 1 cup peeled and shredded tart apple
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Cranberry Glaze
- 1 (14 oz) can jellied cranberry sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450º F to prepare for cooking the meatballs evenly at high heat.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine shredded tart apple, panko bread crumbs, beaten egg, green onions, minced garlic, chopped fresh sage, salt, and black pepper. Stir gently until evenly combined. Add ground turkey and mix gently with your hands just until combined to avoid overworking the meat, which keeps meatballs tender.
- Form Meatballs and Prepare Skillet: Coat the bottom of an oven-safe pan or skillet with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Form the meat mixture into approximately 1-inch meatballs—using about a heaping 1/2 tablespoon of meat per ball works well. Arrange the meatballs evenly in the skillet.
- Bake Meatballs: Place the skillet in the preheated 450º F oven and bake the meatballs for 14 to 19 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165º F, ensuring they are fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Prepare Cranberry Glaze: While meatballs are baking, combine all glaze ingredients—jellied cranberry sauce, water, fresh cranberries, ginger, orange juice, sugar, orange zest, and salt—in a saucepan or the same skillet if the meatballs have been transferred to a dish. Bringing this mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer, allows flavors to meld and fresh cranberries to soften.
- Simmer Glaze: Simmer the glaze for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking or burning at the bottom of the pan.
- Combine Meatballs and Glaze: Add the cooked meatballs back into the glaze, return to a gentle simmer, and cook together for one additional minute to allow the meatballs to absorb some of the glaze’s flavor.
- Serve Immediately: Serve these zesty meatballs hot for a perfect holiday appetizer or main dish that balances savory turkey with bright cranberry and citrus notes.
Notes
- These meatballs make a festive appetizer or a flavorful main dish ideal for holiday gatherings.
- Using the skillet with meat drippings for the glaze enhances the flavor significantly.
- Be careful not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep the texture tender.
- For a crispier exterior, you can briefly broil the meatballs after baking if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (about 5-6 meatballs with glaze)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
