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
Rose
In another recipe you used a small cookie scoop to form the meatballs. Would this method not work here or is the small scoop too small or is the ground turkey too sticky? Also what percentage of fat are you referring to when using light and dark meat? If you can’t tell, this is my first attempt at using ground turkey and I need all the help I can get.
Heather
How many meatballs will this recipe (4 servings) yield?
Beth Pierce
About 24
Julianne Fitzgerald
My husband and I LOVED this recipe. The meatballs were the perfect consistency! DELICIOUS!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Julianne! So glad that you and your husband liked it!
Amanda Shurtleff
Can i use something else besides heavy cream.?
Beth Pierce
Unfortunately no. Not with the same results.
Nicole
If I do not have Canola oil can I sub it for vegetable oil or olive oil?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can.
Tara
This was legitimately one of the best Internet recipes I’ve ever tried. Thank you so much!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome Tara! So happy that you liked it!
Kim
Can I freeze the sauce and meatballs? I made extra and don’t want them to go to waste.
Beth Pierce
Yes you can. When ready to eat thaw in the fridge overnight and heat up on the stovetop or in the microwave at a reduced power.
Barb
I had no heavy cream so I looked up a substitute and used Greek yogurt. It tasted very good. I will definitely be making this again!
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip, Barb! So glad that you liked the turkey meatballs!
Angie
Would Chicken Stock work instead of Chicken Broth? I’m feeling too lazy to go to the tore right now and I have everything else to make this!
Beth Pierce
Yes! So sorry about the late reply!
Brenda
This recipe is BOMB! The sauce is so delicious. Comfort food at its finest. Thank you for posting it!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Brenda! So glad that you like it!!
Jack Meh
Why preheat the oven if it’s not used in the instructions?
Beth Pierce
Because you are placing the meatballs in the oven while you make the sauce. It is in the directions.