Description
These Thanksgiving Meatballs feature juicy, herbed turkey meatballs encasing a flavorful stuffing center, baked to perfection and finished with a rich homemade gravy. Perfect for a festive holiday meal, they bring all the classic flavors of a Thanksgiving dinner together in one delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Stuffing
- One 6-ounce box stuffing mix, divided
- 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)
Meatball Mixture
- 1 ¼ pounds ground 85% lean ground turkey or chicken
- 1 large egg
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Gravy
- 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 and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the upper third. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Prep all ingredients by chopping veggies and herbs.
- Prepare Stuffing Balls: Measure ½ cup of the stuffing breadcrumbs and reserve. Prepare the stuffing mix as per box instructions, then cool completely. Use a tablespoon to portion and roll 16 small stuffing balls. Arrange on a baking sheet and freeze.
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion with a pinch of salt and pepper, cooking until softened (5-6 minutes). Add garlic and fresh herbs, cook 1-2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Mix Meatball Base: Crush reserved stuffing breadcrumbs finely and combine with cooked aromatics and egg in a large bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix well by hand, then add ground turkey and gently combine without over-mixing.
- Assemble Meatballs: Remove stuffing balls from freezer. Divide meat mixture into 16 portions. Flatten each into a 2-3 inch patty. Place a stuffing ball in center, wrap edges around to encase, sealing tightly, then roll gently into balls. Place assembled meatballs on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake meatballs in oven for 10-12 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from oven.
- Brown Meatballs: Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a plate.
- Make Gravy: Deglaze skillet with white wine, scraping browned bits. Whisk flour into chicken stock to make a slurry and add to skillet along with chicken base, garlic powder, onion powder, and Kitchen Bouquet if using. Whisk constantly until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Simmer Meatballs in Gravy: Reduce heat to medium-low and add browned meatballs back to skillet. Simmer 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are coated and heated through. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Allow meatballs to cool slightly. Serve over mashed potatoes or starchy side of choice alongside your favorite Thanksgiving dishes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Handle meatball mixture gently to avoid dry, tough meatballs; mix until just combined.
- If desired, save leftover stuffing for serving alongside the meatballs.
- These meatballs pair wonderfully with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted vegetables, sweet potato casserole, or a festive salad.
- Kitchen Bouquet seasoning is optional but adds depth and color to the gravy.
- Ensure stuffing is completely cooled before forming balls to maintain shape when wrapped in meat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 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
