Name: Turkey Stuffing Meatballs in Spicy Cranberry Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 125g / 1cup breadcrumb stuffing mix (I used Paxo sage and onion); 125ml / 1/2 cup hot chicken stock; 1 egg; 500g / 1 lb ground turkey; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp parsley (chopped); 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp ginger (grated); 250ml / 1 cup hard apple cider (or non-alcoholic apple cider); 220g / 1 cup cranberry sauce; 2 tbsp gochujang sauce (or your favourite spicy chilli sauce)

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Can’t face another sausage-on-a-stick this festive season? Serve this elegant cocktail canapé instead; turkey stuffing meatballs in cranberry sauce. These bite-size balls are lean and luscious, and coated with an irresistible sticky and spicy cranberry glaze. An exciting addition to your Thanksgiving menu.

Can’t quite face the festive talk? Let me distract you with a meatball recipe round up featuring seventeen meatballs recipes from around the world! Which is your fave?

A pile of meatballs on a plate, with one being removed by a hand with a cocktail skewer.

Now, these are hybrid meatballs. Part stuffing, part ground turkey. Don’t go adding them to your spaghetti sauce!

I have designed them specifically for your festive table as they bring together three key Christmastime essentials: turkey, stuffing and cranberry. (As well as a secret, spicy ingredient!)

How you serve your Thanksgiving meatballs is up to you. Go classy with cocktail sticks and canapés, or dish up as a sidekick stuffing for the roast bird on your holiday table.

I’ll be serving them at every opportunity. They are that good!

Why you’ll love it

Where do I start?? Here are my top five reasons:

an unusual take on a cocktail meatball which means it’s impressive!
yields a whopping 30 meatballs (serves 10) so feeds a crowd (or extras can go in the freezer).
made from easy-to-find ingredients.
the meatballs are lean and juicy and the sauce is tangy. Wait, is that three??
leftovers make an amazing turkey cranberry meatball sandwich.

I rest my case.

Ingredients

One of the best things (see above!) about this turkey meatball recipe is that nearly all the ingredients are common pantry staples. Let’s take a look:

For the meatballs:

breadcrumb stuffing: yes, you can use that packet of store-bought stuffing mix! It adds flavour and density to the meatball.
chicken stock: required for hydrating the packet stuffing.
an egg: to bind all the ingredients together.
seasonings: garlic powder, salt, black pepper.
fresh parsley: for refreshing uplift.

So far, so store cupboard.

For the spicy cranberry sauce:

vegetable oil: for stir frying. Use a neutral flavour.
fresh garlic and ginger: fiery and flavour-making, these aromatics make the sauce rich and complex.
apple cider*: acidic and reduces to a sticky caramel. Use hard or non-alcoholic.
cranberry sauce*: sweet, sour and store-bought. No shame in that! This is the sauce’s base.
This is an affiliate link.gochujang paste*: smoky and funky, this chilli paste is unexpected pow! Swap: your preferred chilli sauce.

*Staples in my stores! But easily sourced from supermarkets if not in yours.

How to make it

This two-stage recipe is only 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes oven time. Here’s how:

Stage 1: turkey meatballs recipe

Mix the stuffing mix and chicken stock. Leave to stand for 10 mins.
Add the egg, ground turkey, seasonings and herbs. Mix evenly.
Shape the meatballs. Use an ice cream scoop to get 30 uniform balls. Place on a baking sheet.
Cook in the oven for 10 mins.

Stage 2: spicy cranberry sauce

Stir fry the garlic and ginger. Watch it doesn’t catch!
Deglaze with the apple cider for 2-3 mins.

Important recipe tips and notes

Serve as an appetiser with other Thanksgiving finger foods, or as a weekday dinner main meal with mash.
Use low fat ground turkey (2%) for a leaner meatball. Higher fat makes for richer balls.
Use an ice cream scoop with a trigger for even-sized, easy-to-form meatballs.
Skip the gochujang paste if you’re spice shy.
Use non-alcoholic apple cider if you prefer.

What goes with it

Turkey cranberry meatballs are a Thanksgiving must! Whether they’re served side-by-side on the turkey platter with all the sit-down trimmings or on fancy little golden sticks as a starter or party food, they need to make an appearance.

But the love doesn’t stop there. My son, a meatball’s biggest fan, eats them year round. And even makes them for himself at university! His top tip is to serve with kimchi fried rice or mashed potatoes. Being his mum, I would encourage some vegetables at least: carrotsor green beans!

Storage and leftovers

Get ahead of the Thanksgiving game and make turkey stuffing meatballs in advance and freeze. Frozen meatballs can be stored for up to two months. Defrost overnight and cook as per the recipe instructions. If you haven’t already, make the sauce!

Any leftover Thanksgiving meatballs can be kept in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat covered with foil in the oven for 10 minutes.