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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Lily D
Can I substitute the cream with whole milk? Looking forward to making this tomorrow!
Beth Pierce
If you do you must use something to thicken it like a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a little milk. Milk will not reduce and thicken like cream does.
Jess
My family love these meatballs! Absolutely delicious! I’ve served them with spaghetti (so good!) and a low carb version with sweet potato mash and veg. A new regular dish for us! Thank you!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jess! So glad that you like them. We love them too!
Jacqueline
These are delicious and my two year old loves them! We change it up occasionally by subbing milk for the worechestershire sauce and using turkey gravy instead. The meatballs freeze well too.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Jacqueline! So glad that you and yours love them!
Jessica
I have a question…. could buttermilk be used instead of the cream? Thanks for your thought… looking forward to making the dish over the weekend.
Beth Pierce
I am sorry Jessica but that is not going to work. You need cream for this recipe as it reduces and thickens while buttermilk will curdle over those temperature.
Julia
These meatballs in cream sauce look like comfort food personified! I am sure a touch of worcestershire adds so much flavour to the sauce!
lauren kelly
I don’t know what I like better, the meatballs or that delicious cream sauce! Thank you so much!
Jen
I made these for a get together over the weekend and they were a huge hit! Everyone kept asking for the recipe.
Alli
My mother in law works at a turkey store sober always have so much turkey. This was perfect to use up some of that. So good!
Sarah Skaggs
Wow, so good! Loved it!
Adrianne
How fantastic do these look!! I love the sound of them as well and could eat them right from the pot!! The garlic powder in the cream sauce is the perfect touch!!