These stuffing meatballs are a delicious, healthier alternative to traditional pork stuffing using sausage meat. They are made using ground turkey, a mixture of herbs, as well as cranberries and chestnuts for a festive touch. Ready in 30 minutes!
You might also like cauliflower stuffing!
Making stuffing meatballs from scratch is easier than you think! It doesn't require too much preparation and you can easily give these meatballs a festive feel by adding a few herbs and popular holiday ingredients.
Stuffing meatballs ingredients
These low fat stuffing meatballs are made using ground turkey, dried cranberries for sweetness, marsala wine for depth of flavour, a handful of chestnuts for added texture and fresh parsley for moisture. Most stuffing recipes include sage and onion and I also decided to include these traditional stuffing ingredients in this recipe.
I used a fresh bun (torn into small pieces) with a drizzle of milk to bind all the ingredients together and produce super soft meatballs. In my experience fresh bread works better than breadcrumbs in meatball recipes.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1.Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the onions gently for about 3 minutes until softened. Pour in the marsala (sherry) and cranberries and continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. In the meantime place the torn bun in a blender, drizzle over the milk, add half of the turkey mince, sage, parsley, nutmeg, onion granules, salt and pepper.
3. Pulse a few times until well combined and sticky. Do not overblend.
4. Place in a large bowl along with the onion mixture (once cooled), the remaining meat and chopped chestnuts.
5. Stir thoroughly.
6. Form meatballs and coat in flour/fine breadcrumbs.
7. Fry the stuffing meatballs in 2-3 tablespoons of oil for 6-8 minutes over a fairly low heat (so they don't brown too quickly), turning often. Serve immediately.
Shallow frying versus baking stuffing meatballs
I considered baking these turkey stuffing meatballs in the oven, but in the end decided against it. While it makes perfect sense to bake meatballs made with sausage meat (as they tend to be high in fat) these naturally low in fat stuffing meatballs are better fried (they may get a little dry in the oven).
Top tip
If you are not using a large pan work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Serving suggestions
These easy stuffing meatballs make a delicious holiday season appetizer. They can be served with cranberry sauce, beetroot chutney as well as holiday salads including creamy brussel sprout slaw and marinated Christmas slaw.
Substitutions
- Meat: I used lean ground turkey (approx. 7% fat), but you could use ground lean pork instead. I do NOT recommend using white meat (i.e. turkey breast or pork tenderloin) as the meatballs might be a little dry.
- Herbs: I used a combination of fresh parsley and sage but you could also add a bit of rosemary and thyme into the mixture. If you prefer using dried herbs add approx. ½ teaspoon of each.
- Fresh bun: Substitute with 1.5 slices of soft bread if preferred.
Top tips
- Bread: I added a soft bun into the mixture in order to make soft, fluffy stuffing meatballs. Using breadcrumbs doesn't produce the same effect and I don't recommend them in this recipe.
- Use either flour or fine breadcrumbs for coating the meatballs.
- Frying: It is important to fry these stuffing balls slowly, over a low heat so they cook through while not getting too brown too quickly. For best results fry use a non-stick large frying pan and turn these balls over several times. Do not overcrowd the pan - fry in batches.
- Best served immediately. Reheat leftover stuffing balls either in a microwave or in the oven.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
You might also like
- Meat Stuffing with Turkey and Bacon
- Quick Vegetarian Christmas Stuffing
- Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Meatballs
- Easy Quinoa Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Keep in touch!
Have you made these easy, festive stuffing meatballs with turkey? I'd love to know how they turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Recipe
Stuffing Meatballs with Cranberries & Chestnuts
Equipment
- Large non-stick pan
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1.1 pounds (500 g) ground turkey thigh meat, approx. 7% fat
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2.82 ounces (80 g) chestnuts ready to eat, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons marsala wine or sweet sherry
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 medium sized soft roll/bun torn into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons milk any
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon onion granules
- ⅔ teaspoon fine sea salt plus plenty of pepper
- 2 tablespoons (2 tbsp) olive oil plus more for frying
- Flour or fine breadcrumbs for coating 2-3 tablespoons
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add the onions and fry slowly for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the marsala (sherry) and cranberries, stir and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile place the torn bun in a food processor and drizzle over the milk. Add half of the meat, sage, parsley, nutmeg, onion granules and seasoning and pulse until the mixture becomes sticky (do not overblend).
- Transfer the mixture into a large bowl, add the rest of the turkey meat, chestnuts, onion mixture (once cooled) and stir thoroughly to combine.
- Form good size meatballs (sprinkle some water on your hands when doing this step) and roll them in flour or breadcrumbs.
- Heat up a little oil in a large frying pan (2-3 tablespoons per batch) and fry the stuffing meatballs over a low heat for 6-8 minutes until lightly browned, turning often (take care not to burn them). Serve immediately (see the post for serving suggestions).
Notes
- Meat: I used lean ground turkey (approx. 7% fat), but you could use ground lean pork instead. I do NOT recommend using white meat (i.e. turkey breast or pork tenderloin) is the meatballs would be too dry.
- Herbs: I used a combination of fresh parsley and sage but you could also add a bit of rosemary and thyme into the mixture. If you prefer using dried herbs add approx. 1.5 teaspoon of each.
- Bread: I added a very soft bun into the mixture in order to make soft, fluffy stuffing meatballs. Using breadcrumbs doesn't produce the same effect so I don't recommend them in this recipe.
- Coating the stuffing balls: Use either flour or fine breadcrumbs.
- Frying: It is important to fry these stuffing balls slowly, over a low heat so they cook through while not getting too brown too quickly. For best results fry use a non-stick large frying pan and turn these balls over several times. Do not overcrowd the pan - fry in batches.
- Best served immediately. Reheat leftover stuffing balls either in a microwave or in the oven.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
cakespy says
These are AWESOME!! A little different yet still familiar. What a great holiday dish!
Monika says
Thank you! Glad you like it:)
dtills says
Great recipe for a crowd!
Monika says
Thank you!