Thanksgiving Meatballs

Thanksgiving is just six days away, and maybe this year is the year that you don’t make a big Thanksgiving dinner. I love a big turkey with all the side dishes, like mashed potatoes, dressing, roasted brussels sprouts, and of course pumpkin pie. But sometimes, you’re making dinner for a smaller group. Or maybe you’re going to Thanksgiving dinner somewhere else and have no leftovers of your own but are still craving some more Thanksgiving flavors. These Thanksgiving meatballs are here for you! The meatballs are tender and seasoned with lots of fresh thyme and sage to really taste and smell like your favorite roasted turkey from the oven. We’re serving them over creamy sour cream mashed potatoes and topping them with mushroom shallot gravy and a little cranberry sauce. They’re the perfect way to enjoy the flavors of Thanksgiving with a dish that’s a little more time intensive than a normal weeknight, but still way less work than a full turkey dinner.

Ingredients for Thanksgiving Meatballs

• Ground turkey: ground turkey can be dry and bland, but we are going to add things to these meatballs to make them tender and flavorful!
• Egg: one of the ingredients to bind the meatballs, as well as keep them tender.
• Breadcrumbs: plain, finely ground breadcrumbs help as a binder.
• Fresh herbs: we are using fresh thyme and fresh sage for that Thanksgiving flavor!
• Additional seasonings: garlic powder and onion powder are going to add a little extra flavor, since we aren’t roasting a turkey with onions and garlic in the cavity.
• Salt and pepper. We’re using this in the meatballs, mashed potatoes, and gravy.
• Yukon gold potatoes: these are the best potatoes for mashing in my opinion!
• Butter: a must for the creamiest mashed potatoes, and also as a start for the gravy.
• Sour cream: also a must for creamy mashed potatoes!
• Flour: whisking the flour into the butter starts a roux to keep the gravy smooth.
• Chicken broth: for the gravy! You can use homemade or store bought, whatever feels right!
• Milk: for the gravy as well!
• Shallots: Since we don’t have turkey drippings to start the gravy, we’re going to give the gravy a bit of a boost for flavor, starting with shallots.
• Mushrooms: I know mushrooms can be polarizing, so you don’t have to add them to your gravy, but I like the depth of flavor that they give.
• Fresh cranberries: I love these Thanksgiving meatballs with just a little cranberry sauce! The sweet and tart is just perfect!
• Orange juice: orange and cranberry is the perfect combination.
• Brown sugar: I always add brown sugar or maple syrup to my cranberry sauce for a little sweetness. I love the notes from the brown sugar here!

How to Make Thanksgiving Meatballs

This meal has a few components, but if you time it right, you can have multiple items cooking at the same time to keep it as easy as possible!

• First, preheat your oven and prepare your potatoes. Peel your potatoes and cut into large chunks. Place them in a large pot and cover them with water by at least an inch. Add a few teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil, cooking until the potatoes are fork tender.
• While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, place the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, and fresh sage. Use your hands to combine. Take a rimmed baking sheet and line with foil, then spray with nonstick cooking spray. Form the meatball mixture into meatballs and place on the prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes, flipping over halfway through the cooking time.
• While the potatoes and meatballs are cooking, you can prepare the gravy and the cranberry sauce. In one saucepan, melt the butter. Add the finely minced shallots and mushrooms and cook until tender. Whisk in the flour, then slowly pour in the chicken broth and milk. Taste and season with salt and pepper, whisking frequently until the desired consistency is reached.
• In another saucepan, place the cranberries, orange juice, and brown sugar. Cook until the cranberries have all burst and the mixture is thick.
• When the potatoes are done boiling, drain them and return to the pot. Add the butter and mash until smooth, then add the sour cream, salt, and pepper.
• Place a scoop of mashed potatoes on a plate and top with meatballs. Top with gravy and a dollop of cranberry sauce. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy these meatballs as much as we do. I love the flavors of Thanksgiving and this recipe is a delicious way to enjoy them without making the entire Thanksgiving feast. This is also a great option for Friendsgiving or any fall entertaining.