These Turkey Cranberry Meatballs pack all of your favorite holiday flavors into one tasty bite! Think Thanksgiving turkey with cranberry sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, and sage stuffing. Before making this recipe, I raised an eyebrow at putting fruit in a meatball. But now I’m adding extra cranberries to garnish the smooth buttery gravy!
Better yet, these soon-to-be-famous turkey meatballs are gluten and dairy-free!
While I suspect I'll be making these turkey sage meatballs year-round, they're most fitting for the winter holidays! They're something of a cross between a Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner and classic Swedish Meatballs with lingonberry jam.
We made them first at a campsite for a camping Thanksgiving dinner, so this recipe includes both pan-fried and baking instructions for the meatballs. I have to say that I have a slight preference for the fried meatballs because of the extra butter flavor!
This turkey meatballs recipe is inspired by my super popular Dairy-Free Swedish Meatballs recipe and uses the same vegan gravy. They are also gluten-free and use Instant Mashed Potatoes for an easy-to-find and affordable gluten-free panko replacement.
Pair these meatballs with Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Crispy Parsley Roasted Potatoes for an easy and delicious holiday meal!
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Why you'll love this recipe:
- super flavorful meatballs
- the perfect sweet and savory combination
- festivity in a bite
- buttery dairy-free gravy
- camping-friendly
- a fun and exciting way to celebrate the holidays!
Let's dive in!
Ingredients
You need only 11 ingredients to make this recipe. Some of them are reused in different categories in the recipe card, so don't be fooled if the list looks longer than it really is!
- lean ground turkey
- instant mashed potato flakes
- egg
- unsweetened cashew milk
- onion
- dried cranberries
- butter (I used dairy-free)
- tapioca starch
- vegetable broth
Spices
- garlic powder
- rubbed sage
- salt
Optional
- Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves to garnish
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Meatballs
Preheat the oven (if baking): If baking the meatballs, Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (215 degrees C).
Make the meatball mixture: Mix all meatball ingredients and meatball spices together in a medium mixing bowl with your hands, until well-mixed.
Roll into balls: Roll the meatball mixture into 1-inch balls (or 1 ½ inch balls if baking -- about the size of a ping-pong ball) and place on a baking sheet.
If Baking: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm when pressed.
If Pan-Frying: Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of butter and push it around with a spatula to evenly coat the pan. Start by searing the meatballs on the outsides as evenly as possible by browning a new side every 2-3 minutes. I do this in two batches so there is room to roll the meatballs around. Once seared, drop the heat to medium and continue to roll them around every 2-3 minutes to cook through. Cook until the meatballs are firm when pressed and a meat thermometer shows a temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) in the center of a meatball. When finished cooking, place the meatballs on a clean plate or baking sheet and set aside.
Note: If you have a hard time reaching this temperature, add a cover and drop the heat to medium-low to allow them to cook through without burning on the outsides.
Gravy
Make the gravy: Melt coconut butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spices and tapioca starch, mixing until smooth (without clumps) with a whisk or spatula. Add broth in ~¼ cup increments and stir briskly or whisk well with each addition to make smooth. Add cashew milk in the same fashion. Bring to a low boil for 3-5 minutes to thicken. Add extra broth as needed to get your desired gravy consistency.
Putting it together: Place the cooked meatballs in gravy. Push them around gently to get them nice and saucy! For a little extra flavor, simmer together for 5 minutes before removing from heat. Garnish with optional parsley and extra dried cranberries, serve and enjoy!
Substitutions
- Panko (or gluten-free panko) - instead of instant mashed potato flakes, you can use regular or gluten-free panko in equal amount.
- Vegetarian - the lean ground turkey can be replaced with a plant-based ground meat substitute to make this recipe vegetarian.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free!
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- large baking sheet
- large skillet
- spatula
- silicone coated whisk
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Tips before you start
If pan-frying, use a meat thermometer.
Not only does cooking the meatballs through to 165 degrees F (75 C) make the meat safe to eat, it also helps to prevent overcooking so the meatballs stay nice and juicy on the inside!
Mind the meatball size.
If pan-frying, make 1-inch meatballs. If baking, you can make larger meatballs -- about 1 ½ inches or the size of a ping pong ball.
Other savory holiday gluten-free recipes you'll love:
- Dairy Free Swedish Meatballs
- Super Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Unbelievably Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes
- Simple Healthy Gluten and Dairy Free Charcuterie Board
- Crispy Parsley Roasted Potatoes
Sage Turkey Cranberry Meatballs with gravy
These savory and slightly sweet Turkey Cranberry Meatballs are a festive American take on Swedish Meatballs with gravy! They are gluten-free and dairy-free.
Note that this recipe uses only 11 ingredients in total -- some ingredients are listed twice in different categories.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner, Meal, Skillet
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- ½ cup instant mashed potato flakes
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup unsweetened cashew milk
- ¼ cup onion, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, finely minced
Meatball Spices
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons rubbed sage
- ½ teaspoon salt
Gravy
- ¼ cup butter (I used dairy-free)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup unsweetened cashew milk
Optional
- If pan-frying the meatballs: 1-2 tablespoons butter for frying
- Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves to garnish
- extra dried cranberries to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven (if baking): If baking the meatballs, Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (215 degrees C).
- Make the meatball mixture: Mix all meatball ingredients and meatball spices together in a medium mixing bowl with your hands, until well-mixed.
- Roll into balls: Roll the meatball mixture into 1-inch balls (or 1 ½ inch balls if baking -- about the size of a ping-pong ball) and place on a baking sheet.
- If Baking: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm when pressed.
- If Pan-Frying: Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of butter and push it around with a spatula to evenly coat the pan. Start by searing the meatballs on the outsides as evenly as possible by browning a new side every 2-3 minutes. I do this in two batches so there is room to roll the meatballs around. Once seared, drop the heat to medium and continue to roll them around every 2-3 minutes to cook through. Cook until the meatballs are firm when pressed and a meat thermometer shows a temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) in the center of a meatball. When finished cooking, place the meatballs on a clean plate or baking sheet and set aside.
Note: If you have a hard time reaching this temperature, add a cover and drop the heat to medium-low to allow them to cook through without burning on the outsides. - Make the gravy: Melt coconut butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spices and tapioca starch, mixing until smooth (without clumps) with a spatula or whisk. Add broth in ~¼ cup increments and stir briskly or whisk well with each addition to make smooth. Add cashew milk in the same fashion. Bring to a low boil for 3-5 minutes to thicken. Add extra broth as needed to get your desired gravy consistency.
- Putting it together: Place the cooked meatballs in gravy. Push them around gently to get them nice and saucy! For a little extra flavor, simmer together for 5 minutes before removing from heat. Garnish with extra dried cranberries and parsley (optional). Then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Substitutions
- Panko (or gluten-free panko) - instead of instant mashed potato flakes, you can use regular or gluten-free panko in equal amount.
- Vegetarian - the lean ground turkey can be replaced with a plant-based ground meat substitute to make this recipe vegetarian.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free!
Tips
If pan-frying, use a meat thermometer. Not only does cooking the meatballs through to 165 degrees F (75 C) make the meat safe to eat, it also helps to prevent overcooking so the meatballs stay nice and juicy on the inside!
Mind the meatball size. If pan-frying, make 1-inch meatballs. If baking, you can make larger meatballs -- about 1 ½ inches or the size of a ping pong ball.
Keywords: thanksgiving turkey meatballs, turkey meatballs recipe, turkey sage meatballs
Food safety
Since we're using raw meat and some of you may be cooking meatballs in a frying pan or on a camp stove, here are some important food safety reminders:
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) -- I recommend using a meat thermometer to check the inside of the meatballs if cooking on the stove.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods of time
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
It's four holiday favorites in one tasty bite -- if you haven't already added this Turkey Cranberry Meatballs recipe to your meal plan, what are you waiting for?! 😉
xo, Jamie
Margaret Fortier
I loved these meatballs ! Thank you for the recipe , I will definitely make them again !
★★★★★
Jamie
Thank you so much for the review Margaret! We love this recipe too 🙂
Alexa
I was a little skeptical but I’m so glad I tried these! You wow’d me again Jamie! I’m planning to make these and bring them to a couple of holiday pot lucks for something different and tasty!
★★★★★
Jamie
So glad you enjoyed them Alexa! Thank you for the review!
Andie
These meatballs are fantastically addictive! These are a new Thanksgiving holiday favorite for me—I love how these are spiced. Thanks for another great recipe and for wowing my holiday guests!
★★★★★