Alright, Let Me Tell You About Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs…
So, picture this: it’s a rainy Sunday, and I’m rummaging in my fridge wondering why I bought so much ground turkey again. Suddenly, inspiration (or hunger) strikes—why not make meatballs that taste like Thanksgiving every time? That’s pretty much how these Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs were born in my kitchen, squeezed between a half-drunk mug of coffee and a dog trying to eat anything that hits the floor. If you’ve ever tried wrangling three kids and cooking at the same time, you know—you need meals like this that are satisfying but don’t require seventeen weird ingredients or a culinary school diploma.
This Is Why I Make Them (More Than I Should Admit)
Honestly, I make these when I want that cozy, stuffing-draped feeling without hauling out the roasting pan. My family goes a bit wild for them—seriously, last time my brother-in-law was over, I turned my back for two minutes and half the tray vanished. And I love that they taste like Thanksgiving but without needing to time six side dishes at once, because who has the bandwidth for that every week? These meatballs make a boring Monday way more festive. Oh, and once, I tried to use pre-cooked stuffing and it turned out a bit mushy, so now I usually make it fresh or at least let the pre-made stuff crisp up a bit first (learned the hard way, as usual).
What You’ll Need (With Some Wiggle Room)
- 500g (about 1 lb) ground turkey—sometimes I do a turkey/chicken mix if I’m low. Nobody notices, not even my picky nephew.
- 2 cups stuffing mix (I’m partial to the herby kind, but any will do. My gran swore by Pepperidge Farm, but I’ve totally used store-brand when payday was far off.)
- ½ cup chicken broth (or water, but honestly, broth just tastes better)
- 1 egg (But if you’re out? I’ve skipped it—the meatballs are just a smidge less firm.)
- ¼ cup finely chopped celery (Or don’t! I sometimes go rogue and leave it out if I’m not in the mood for chopping)
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion—sweet onions work best, but any will do
- 1 clove garlic, minced (I really love garlic, so occasionally I add two, don’t at me)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (skip if feeling health-conscious, but it adds that ‘grandma’s stuffing’ vibe)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste. White pepper if you’re feeling fancy.
- Optional: pinch of sage or thyme, to really up the stuffing flavor
How To Make These (Without Losing Your Mind)
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. No need to be super exact, but let’s try not to broil them into oblivion.
- Grab a big bowl (I mean, your biggest, unless you like chasing runaway breadcrumbs). Dump in the stuffing mix and pour the broth over it. Stir it around and let it hang out for about 5 mins, until it’s all soft and soggy—don’t stress if there are a few dry bits, they soften up later.
- Add the ground turkey, egg, celery, onion, garlic, melted butter, salt, pepper and any bonus sage or thyme you like. Mush it all together with your hands. Yes, it feels weird and squishy. Yes, it’s required. (This is usually when I taste a teensy bit—raw egg warning, but I live dangerously.)
- Shape the mixture into golf ball–ish sized meatballs (my eldest says mine are always more like ping pong balls, but that’s their problem). Line them up on a greased baking tray. If you don’t have a tray, a casserole dish works—just don’t pack them too tight.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown with crispy edges. Don’t worry if some look a little wonky, it’s part of their charm. On second thought, if yours are too pale at 25 mins, give it another couple of minutes; ovens are a law unto themselves.
Lived-and-Learned Notes
- If you want even moister (is that a word?) meatballs, add a splash more broth. But too much and they get floppy, and nobody wants floppy balls (err, moving on)
- I once tried using whole wheat stuffing mix, but the texture was just not for me. Maybe you’ll love it? I’ll stick to good old white bread cubes.
- If you accidentally forget the butter, all is not lost. They’re a tad less rich—just more reason to serve extra gravy, which… speaking of, why doesn’t gravy get more love the rest of the year?
A Few Weird Variations I’ve Tried
- Add some cranberries into the mix! Not too many, though, unless you’re ready for a tart surprise.
- I once swapped turkey for ground pork—ended up more ‘holiday sausage ball’ than ‘stuffing meatball’ but still tasty if you’re into that sort of thing.
- Tried with gluten free stuffing once; honestly, I wanted it to work, but they came out odd and sort of crumbly (maybe I’ll figure it out one day…)
Equipment I Actually Use (Or Don’t)
- Big mixing bowl—bigger is better. Or, use a clean pot in a pinch.
- Baking tray. If you’re out, as I said, just use a casserole dish. Or, I mean, I’ve improvised on a piece of foil on top of a pizza stone once. Bit messy, but worked.
- Good old-fashioned hands. Or a cookie scoop if you want to be fancy/not get gunk under your nails.
What About Leftovers?
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; they reheat surprisingly well in the microwave, maybe even better the next day, if you ask me. You can freeze them too, though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day—can’t remember the last time any survived long enough to freeze.
To Serve (Or, What I Grew Up Doing)
I love these over creamy mashed potatoes with a bit of pan gravy—totally a weeknight fake-out roast. Sometimes I pile a few onto soft rolls with a splash of cranberry sauce (trust me, it works). My mom insists on a side of green beans because, I quote, ‘balance’, but you do you.
Pro Tips (Learned the Messy Way)
- Let the stuffing soak long enough in the broth. I tried to rush that step once, and the whole batch had these weird dry bits—made me rethink my life choices, honestly.
- If you’re not sure they’re done, cut one open. No shame in it! Once I pulled them too early and… well, let’s just say microwaving half-cooked meatballs is not my finest culinary moment.
- Don’t pack the meatballs too tightly on the tray, otherwise you get little turkey cubes, not balls.
FAQs I Actually Get Asked
- Can I make these ahead? Oh for sure! They hold up in the fridge just fine for a couple days. Sometimes I even find they taste better the next day, when flavors have had a little ‘get to know you’ time.
- What if I don’t have stuffing mix? I’ve blitzed stale bread with a shake of dried herbs as a last resort. Not quite the same, but it’s close enough in a pinch.
- Can I air fry these? Oh, definitely. I pop them in my air fryer at 190°C (375°F) for about 12 minutes, but keep an eye—some models run hot and it’s easy to forget and then, poof, turkey pucks.
- Is it okay to double the recipe? Sure, but you’ll need a bigger bowl (and maybe more hands to help roll). Frankly, you’ll probably want to double it anyway once you’ve tasted them.
Hope that gives you everything you need to whip up a batch of cozy, stuffing-tinged meatballs—let me know if you try a weird twist, especially if it’s better than mine (not a high bar, some days!).
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 cups prepared stuffing, cooled
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk
- ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (for greasing)
Instructions
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1Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil or line it with parchment paper.
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2In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, prepared stuffing, egg, milk, chopped onion, minced garlic, dried sage, salt, black pepper, and parsley.
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3Mix the ingredients until just combined. Do not over-mix to keep the meatballs tender.
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4Shape the mixture into 16-18 golf ball-sized meatballs and arrange them evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
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5Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
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6Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes, and serve warm with your favorite gravy or cranberry sauce.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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