These delectable turkey meatballs combine perfectly seasoned meatballs with an easy chicken-based cream sauce made right in the same skillet. This fabulous recipe comes together in a little over thirty minutes, making it doable for busy weeknights.
Serve this recipe over noodles or garlic mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food. If you like meatball recipes, try porcupine meatballs, baked meatballs, and Swedish meatballs.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground turkey: Use ground turkey that includes both white and dark meat. Ground turkey breast is very lean and does not make the best meatballs.
- Panko breadcrumbs: You can substitute regular breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs.
- Oregano: Use dried oregano; fresh oregano is bitter.
- Chicken broth: preferably low-sodium
- Heavy cream: You can substitute whipping cream or half and half. If using half and half, reduce the amount to 1/4 cup.
How to Make Turkey Meatballs
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
Mix the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, dried oregano, garlic powder, minced onion, egg, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Using your hands, roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides. Work in batches if needed and plate the meatballs.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, while whisking. Whisk in the chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, cream, and oregano. Cook until thickened. Add the meatballs to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Simmer for 15 minutes. Then, season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Turkey meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. An instant-read meat thermometer is a great investment.
- To ensure round meatballs after rolling, store them covered in the refrigerator for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
- Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. We enjoy lots of fresh ground pepper with ours. Or try fresh basil, thyme, or rosemary.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at a reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat.
Serving Suggestions for Turkey Meatballs
Serve the meatballs and sauce over instant pot mashed potatoes, egg noodles, spaghetti, zucchini noodles, or rice. Or serve them as an appetizer with fancy toothpicks.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can also make this recipe with ground beef, but substitute beef broth for the chicken broth.
15-20 minutes is enough time to simmer browned meatballs, but you can also slice one open to ensure it is cooked through. They are also cooked through when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Freeze in a sturdy airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the microwave at a reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat.
Sides For Turkey Meatballs
Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1¼ lbs ground turkey
- ⅔ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, breadcrumbs, dried oregano, garlic powder, minced onion, egg, and Worcestershire sauce. Shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides. Do not crowd the skillet. If necessary, work in batches. Remove the meatballs to a plate.
- Melt butter in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, cream, and oregano. Cook until thickened.
- Add the meatballs to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
Notes
- Turkey meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. An instant-read meat thermometer is a great investment.
- To ensure round meatballs after rolling, store them covered in the refrigerator for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
- Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. We enjoy lots of fresh ground pepper with ours. Or try fresh basil, thyme, or rosemary.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at a reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
April
This recipe is fantastic! They are like tiny meat loaves, so soft and flavorful. A new favorite, and my daughter loves them too.
I subbed a couple things, and I have zero guilt eating them. Making them tonight with riced cauliflower stuffed mushrooms. I’ve made your meatballs twice in two weeks 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Beth Pierce
I am so glad that you liked it! We love this recipe too! So sweet that you have made these twice!
Angie
This is a great recipe! I did add some more spices, and served over zoodles!! (Zucchini noodles) thank you so much!! Its delicious!!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome! So glad that you liked it. I love playing with different spices in dishes.
Lauren K
I have everything for the recipe but Worstechire sauce. Would it still be okay without it?
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delayed response. I have never tried it that way however I think it would okay.
Amanda
Nevermind, I see that is just all the ingredients to make the cream sauce!
Amanda
I see in the recipe it says cream sauce. Is that just alfredo sauce? How much?
Kimberly
can the recipe easily be doubled??
Chloe
How many meatballs does this make?
Beth Pierce
20-24
Gina
Can i substitue the chxn broth for white wine…and his half and half ok instead of cream
Beth Pierce
You can sub the chicken broth for the white wine but I would not use half n half. I have found that it does not reduce the same way and does not produce near as good results.
Mary Hall
There was no wine in the recipe above ?????
Beth Pierce
No not this one! I don’t add wine to every recipe.
Barb Kaiser
These look very delicious!!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Barb!!
Rachel Laffoon
This was amazing! My whole family loved it and we didn’t have any leftovers. I served it over rice with roasted Brussels sprouts on the side. Thanks for the great recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! I am so glad that you liked them. The pleasure was all mine.
Kim
I have a package of 3 lbs of ground turkey. For the meatball ingredients what would I change the amounts to? I’m going to freeze a bunch so I have for later and just need the sauce.
Thanks!
Kim
Beth Pierce
I think I would just double the ingredients with adding maybe a little more breadcrumbs and spices.
A Brown
The family liked this. I doubled the sauce and upped the amounts of spices. I served it with egg noodles.
Beth Pierce
Awesome! So glad that the family liked it. I like a lot of sauce too but I try to find a happy medium for all the readers. It is nice for everyone to adapt the recipes to their taste and I try to encourage that. I love the Amish egg noodles. They are so good!