Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs Recipe
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Cranberry glazed turkey meatballs are an excellent dish to serve for dinner this season. But they will also double as handy appetizers for a holiday party.
No matter how you serve these, they are a delicious main course to enjoy during the holidays. They will fill you up with all those festive flavors, and you can serve them with whatever side dishes you like best. Don’t worry, I give you suggestions below.
FAQs
Can I Use Frozen Cranberries Instead Of Fresh?
Yes, you can! Whether they are fresh or frozen when you put them in the pot won’t matter. Either way, you have to cook the liquid down. So any liquid that results from freezing will be reduced anyway.
Can I Make The Meatballs Ahead Of Time And Freeze Them?
Absolutely! In fact, that’s a great way to prep this dish through the busy holiday season.
How Do I Adjust The Cooking Time If I’m Using Frozen Meatballs?
If you are following the recipe, you can simply bake them in the oven according to the package directions.
If you are using a slow cooker, you can put them into the slow cooker frozen and stir them into the glaze. Then proceed according to the slow cooker instructions below.
What If I Don’t Have Whole Oats? Can I Use Quick Oats Or Instant Oats Instead?
Yes, you can. However, these are more processed, especially the instant oats. And since this blog tries to avoid processed foods, I recommend against them.
That said, quick oats will give you a relatively similar result to whole oats, and you should use them in the same amount as whole oats.
Instant oats should also be used in the same amount as whole oats, however, you will most likely end up with a softer meatball because these won’t give the meatballs the same amount of structure due to their high processing.
Can I Use Ground Beef Or Chicken Instead Of Turkey?
Absolutely! You can use any ground meat or combination of ground meat, you prefer.
What Can I Use Instead Of Honey Or Maple Syrup For The Glaze?
This cranberry glaze is incredibly forgiving and versatile. So you can add any sweetener you feel comfortable using, in any amount that tastes good to you. And yes, if you don’t add enough to start with, you can stir in more towards the end of cooking. Don’t burn yourself, but it’s important to taste this before you pour it over your meatballs. Make it taste good to you.
I’m Making This In A Slow Cooker. How Do I Ensure The Meatballs Don’t Become Too Dry In A Slow Cooker?
While there isn’t much risk of this, it can happen. Slow cookers are a very moist cooking environment. But if you don’t use them properly, some foods can definitely become dry. To avoid this, here are some tips:
- Make sure your slow cooker is small enough. It sounds odd, but if your slow cooker is too big, the food will spread out too much and run the risk of drying out. Make sure your slow cooker is small enough to be at least 3/4 of the way full.
- Add liquid. If you see a chicken broth or vegetable broth, you don’t have to worry about the meatballs becoming more bland. The broth will add flavor. However, don’t overdo it on the liquid. Only add it if needed, and add it, at most, 1 cup at a time.
- Add cooking time. This isn’t really about the meatballs drying out, but it’s important nonetheless. But for each time you lift the lid on your slow cooker, you’ll want to add 15 minutes to the cooking time. Even if the lid is lifted and lowered quickly. Slow cookers rely on a steady, moist temperature. Lifing the lid will disturb that. So you need to add time to ensure it can return to the proper temperature to complete the cooking process.
How Do I Thicken The Cranberry Glaze If It Turns Out Too Thin?
The easiest time to thicken the cranberry glaze is when you are making it. You can simply cook it longer to cook down more of the liquids.
If you think it’s too thin after you’ve mixed it in with the meatballs, there is really only one option. You’ll want to make a small slurry with cornstarch or arrowroot powder, then mix that into a small helping of warm glaze. Then stir that into the entire dish of meatballs. It’s a little more difficult at that point though, so make sure it’s thick the way you like it when you finish the glaze.
Can I Use A Different Type Of Citrus Juice For The Glaze?
Absolutely! Orange juice is a classic substitute for a recipe like this.
How Do I Know When The Meatballs Are Fully Cooked?
Making sure the meatballs are fully cooked before you put the glaze on them is critical. Use a meat thermometer and make sure they are a minimum of 165F. I recommend skewering two to three meatballs on the thermometer to get a more accurate reading.
What To Serve With Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Rice Pialf
- Wild Rice Pilaf
- Green Bean Almondine
- Quinoa Salad with Cranberries and Pecans
- Maple Glazed Carrots
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Spinach and Arugula Salad with Pomegranate Seeds
- Cornbread Stuffing
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Cauliflower Mash
- Baked Acorn Squash
- Cranberry Apple Coleslaw
- Sautéed Kale with Garlic and Lemon
Recipe Tips
- Make the recipe as stated if you want meatballs with a lot of glaze. Double the meatballs or halve the glaze if you want just enough glaze to coat the meatballs without any left over.
- As you can see in the photos, I did not line my baking pans with parchment. Chalk it up to me being distracted with my move abroad, but I just forgot and I’m sorry I did. Don’t be like me. Line your sheet pans.
- If you are wondering why I mixed the meatball ingredients without the egg and then added the egg in separately, it’s no great mystery. I almost forgot the egg too. So feel free to toss that egg in with the other ingredients initially. Like I said, distracted…
- While it made the most sense on my end to organize the recipe they way I did, for the sake of everything being done at roughly the same time, I would start the cranberry glaze first and get that on your stovetop, and then start working on your meatballs. If you do this, you should have enough time to let the glaze cool and thicken for a few minutes before you mix it with the meatballs.
About The Ingredients
For the Meatballs
Ground turkey – Higher-fat ground turkey will give you the best flavor and texture, but you can certainly use lower-fat ground turkey if you prefer it.
Whole oats – See the note above about the oats.
Onion – You can use yellow or red onion. Your choice.
Egg – This can be chilled or at room temperature.
Dried parsley – You can use a quarter cup of chopped fresh parsley instead of dried parsley if you prefer. If you do this, chop it as fine as you can get it.
Dried thyme
Salt
Ground black pepper
For the Cranberry Glaze
Fresh or frozen cranberries – See the note on the cranberries above.
Lemon juice – Make sure it’s 100% juice. Or you use orange juice with no added sugar.
Water – Use a good, filtered water that doesn’t taste like chlorine.
Maple Syrup – Or honey.
How To Make Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs
For The Meatballs
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, whole oats, chopped onion, egg, garlic, parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
Add the egg and mix well. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the oats to absorb some moisture and soften.
Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned.
For The Glaze
Combine the cranberries, lemon juice, water, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for about 20-30 minutes. Check during the cooking process for the softness of the berries. When they are soft enough to mash, do so. Then continue to cook until the glaze has thickened considerably.
Putting It All Together
Once the meatballs are done, remove them from the oven and transfer them to the pot with the finished glaze.
Stir well but gently to coat the meatballs evenly.
Serve the meatballs warm in a bowl or on skewers.
Slow Cooker Instructions
The Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, whole oats, chopped onion, egg, garlic, parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the oats to absorb some moisture and soften.
- Roll the mixture into 1golfball-sized meatballs.
The Cranberry Glaze
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, lemon juice, water, honey or maple syrup, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook untill the berries are mashable. Crush them all with a fork or potato masher and then remove from the heat. This is a shorter cooking time than the stovetop method because the glaze will continue to thicken in the slow cooker. So only cook this long enough for the berries to get soft and to be mashed.
Putting It All Together
- Place the meatballs in the slow cooker.
- Pour the cranberry glaze over the meatballs, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the meatballs are fully cooked and tender.
- Keep an eye on this in the last hour of cooking time. You may need to stir in a small amount of additional water if the glaze has thickened too much. But this is totally a personal choice. Just note that you will need to add an extra 15 minutes of cooking time for each time you life the lid of your slow cooker.
Serve
- Once the meatballs are done, gently stir them to ensure they are well-coated with the glaze.
- Serve the meatballs warm.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezing
These freeze well. Pack them up well and freeze for up to 4 months.
Reheating
You can reheat these in a microwave, a slow cooker, or in a pot on the stovetop. Note that the latter two options may require a bit of extra liquid to keep things from drying out.
More Meatball Recipes
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Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet (or a slow cooker)
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 set of measuring cups
Ingredients
For The Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- ½ cup whole oats
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp. dried parsley (or 1 tbsp. dried parsley)
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
For the Cranberry Glaze
- 12 oz. package cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup lemon juice (approximately 4 lemons)
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup honey (or maple syrup)
Instructions
For The Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, whole oats, chopped onion, egg, garlic, parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Add the egg and mix well. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the oats to absorb some moisture and soften.
- Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned.
For The Glaze
- While the meatballs are baking, combine the cranberries, lemon juice, water, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for about 20-30 minutes. Check during the cooking process for the softness of the berries. When they are soft enough to mash, do so. Then continue to cook until the glaze has thickened considerably.
Putting It All Together
- Once the meatballs are done, remove them from the oven and transfer them to the pot with the finished glaze.
- Stir well but gently to coat the meatballs evenly.
- Serve the meatballs warm in a bowl or on skewers.
Notes
Nutrition
