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Turkey stuffing meatballs coated in a glossy cranberry glaze with whole cranberries and chopped parsley in a cast iron skillet

Turkey Stuffing Meatballs With Cranberry Glaze

Ground turkey and stuffing meatballs baked on a sheet pan, then tossed in a quick cranberry orange glaze. A weeknight dinner or holiday appetizer in about 45 minutes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the meatballs
  • 1 lb ground turkey 450 g, 93% lean
  • 2 cups prepared stuffing cooled and crumbled
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp salt less if the stuffing is well seasoned
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
For the cranberry glaze
  • 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 14 oz / 397 g
  • 1/4 cup orange juice 60 ml
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • chopped fresh parsley for serving

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it lightly with some of the oil.
  2. Gently mix the ground turkey, crumbled stuffing, egg, sage, thyme, salt and pepper with your hands just until combined.
  3. Scoop into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions, roll into balls about 1 1/4 inches across, arrange on the baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining oil.
  4. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until lightly browned and the centers reach 165°F (74°C).
  5. Meanwhile, simmer the cranberry sauce, orange juice, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt in a large skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth and glossy.
  6. Add the meatballs to the skillet, turn them gently in the glaze, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes

Storage: refrigerate cooked meatballs in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, ideally with the glaze stored separately. Reheat in the glaze over medium-low heat to 165°F (74°C).
Make ahead: shape the meatballs, cover and refrigerate them on the baking sheet for up to 1 day before baking.
Freezing: freeze the baked, cooled meatballs without glaze in a single layer, then bag them for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F (175°C) until hot in the center and toss in fresh glaze.
Substitutions: use ground chicken instead of turkey; replace the maple syrup with honey or brown sugar; use jellied cranberry sauce for a smoother glaze.
Without an oven: brown the meatballs in a large skillet with 2 tbsp oil over medium heat, turning often, until they reach 165°F (74°C) in the center, then add the glaze ingredients to the pan.
Nutrition: calories are an estimate per serving (1/6 of the recipe, about 5 meatballs with glaze), calculated from standard ingredient values, not a laboratory analysis.