Turkey Stuffing Meatballs
Updated November 17, 2024
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 ½ cups (½-inch) sourdough or white bread cubes (preferably day old), from about 3 ounces bread (see Tip)
½ cup olive oil
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup finely chopped white onion (about ½ onion)
½ cup finely chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 large egg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper
1 pound ground turkey (preferably 85 percent lean)
Gravy or cranberry sauce, or bread or a salad, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving
5 grams carbs; 34 milligrams cholesterol; 138 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 10 grams fat; 151 milligrams sodium; 7 grams protein; 2 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven or a toaster oven to 350 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a small sheet pan and bake until brittle, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on the pan. (The cooled bread can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.)
- Step 2
Reset the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Add the bread cubes, olive oil, chicken stock, onion, celery, sage, thyme, onion powder, celery salt, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and a pinch of red pepper to a bowl and mix to combine. Let sit for up to 15 minutes to ensure the bread is fully moistened and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add turkey and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Step 3
Form the meat mixture into 15 balls and place on a baking sheet. To form the meatballs easily, wet your hands as you go to prevent sticking. Bake meatballs for 14 to 16 minutes, until cooked through and the edges have browned. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Step 4
Serve with gravy or cranberry sauce, tucked into a sandwich or on top of a salad.
Instead of toasting your own bread, you could make the meatballs with packaged unseasoned stuffing mix. Alternatively, pan-fry meatballs over medium heat on the stovetop in a little oil until golden brown.
Private Notes
Comments
add cheese! and definitely use store bought stuffing mix, just like the TIP in the recipe says. live your dreams :)
Just a fun note, last month my son's Boy Scout troop competed in a cooking competition and made this dish (well, basically this recipe) and they took first place. When putting together our Thanksgiving menu, I had noted this recipe and shared it with my son. We are serving it this year. Thank you!
healthy is subjective, but I can tell you that the olive oil is keep to keeping these turkey meatballs, which can typically be dry, moist. you can remove some, but you will lose moisture in the meatballs.
These smell heavenly! What a weeknight treat.
My meatballs came out too soggy once mixed. I overcooked them for that reason. Anyways, they still turned out so delicious and moist!
This was legit so tasty. I added the stuffing mix instead of bread and added olive oil drizzled on top of the meatballs before placing in the oven and they came out fine.