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The turkey meatballs with gravy garnished with chopped parsley and served on a black plate and set on an aqua linen.
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Turkey Meatballs with Gravy

These easy turkey meatballs with gravy are a lightened-up version of beef meatballs with a cream gravy. It’s made with lean ground turkey and the gravy is made with chicken broth and half and half instead of heavy cream. Keeping this comfort dish light and flavorful.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword gravy, ground turkey, meatballs
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cool the oil 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 379kcal
Author Elizabeth

Ingredients

Turkey meatballs ingredients

  • 1 pound Ground Turkey we used 85/15 (93/7 works well too, but don’t use turkey breast because we want some fat for flavor)
  • 1 tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley plus extra for garnish if desired
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1 Egg slightly beaten
  • ¼ cup Breadcrumbs plain
  • Oil for frying – enough to cover the bottom of a large, deep skillet with ¼ - ½ inch of oil (about 1½ cups) Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, we use canola oil

Gravy ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons Butter
  • 3 tablespoons Flour
  • 2 cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ cup Half & Half

Instructions

Make the meatballs

  • Place the ground turkey, chopped parsley, Worcestershire, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, egg and the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Mix until the ingredients are combined.
  • Form the ground turkey mixture into rounds. Make them just a little smaller than a golf ball. Makes approximately 20 meatballs
  • Add enough oil to a large, deep, non-stick skillet to cover the bottom by about ¼ - ½ inch (about 1½ cups).
  • Heat the oil over medium-high. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully place the meatballs in the oil. Fry them for 2½ - 3 minutes. Turn each one and cook another 2½ - 3 minutes until they are browed on all sides (about 5 - 6 minutes total).
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and set them on a plate or pan. Cover the plate loosely with a piece of aluminum foil and/or place the plate in the microwave or oven so they stay warm away from drafts.
  • Don’t worry that the meatballs are not cooked all the way through. They will finish cooking in the gravy.

Make the gravy

  • Let the oil cool off some. Carefully drain all the oil from the skillet but do not wash or wipe. If there are bits on the bottom of the pan, leave them in there. They will flavor the gravy beautifully.
  • Place the skillet back over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted and foamy add the flour. Cook the flour for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Slowly add the chicken broth and stir briskly until the flour mixture dissolves and the sauce is smooth. Add the Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, stir well.
  • Bring the sauce to a simmer (it will take about 3-4 minutes). Once it’s simmering, add the meatballs back to the pan and lower the heat to medium-low.
  • Cover the skillet and cook the meatballs for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Next, add the half and half and stir well.
  • Lower the heat to low, cover and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes to let the flavors combine and heat through.
  • Taste the gravy and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, pasta, or on their own with some crusty bread.

Notes

Don’t overwork the meat when making the meatballs. Mix just enough to combine the ingredients and just enough to form the balls.
If the gravy is too thin, uncover the pan and allow it to simmer for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s too thick, add more chicken broth 1-2 teaspoons at a time while stirring until the desired consistency is reached.

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1252mg | Potassium: 548mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 548IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg