Turkey Stuffing Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze
Turkey stuffing meatballs bring the flavours of Thanksgiving into an easy baked dinner. Made with ground turkey, seasoned stuffing mix, and a sweet cranberry barbecue glaze, they’re ready in about 45 minutes.
As a mom to many, I’ve spent plenty of years figuring out how to stretch dinner and make good use of what’s already in the fridge. These meatballs give you an easy main dish to serve over leftover mashed potatoes, with enough glaze to spoon over everything.
You can also serve them as a holiday appetizer. Make them a little smaller, add toothpicks, set out small plates, and let everyone help themselves.
Turkey stuffing meatballs at a glance
These meatballs work for a family dinner or a holiday gathering. Here’s what you need to know before you start.
- Flavour: Savoury turkey and herbs with a sweet, tangy cranberry barbecue glaze.
- Time: 15 minutes of preparation and up to 30 minutes of cooking.
- Yield: Approximately 24 meatballs, or six dinner servings.
- Cooking method: Oven-baked meatballs with a stovetop glaze.
- Leftover connection: Serve over extra mashed potatoes or alongside leftover cooked vegetables.
- Main ingredients: Raw ground turkey, dry stuffing mix, and canned cranberry sauce.
Why this recipe works
The stuffing mix adds seasoned bread to the meatballs, while eggs help hold the mixture together. Milk moistens the dry stuffing, and the glaze combines cranberry sauce with barbecue sauce, mustard, and vinegar.
The oven handles the meatballs while you make the glaze. That leaves you time to warm your potatoes and get a vegetable on the table.
Ingredients and helpful notes
The recipe card below includes the full measurements. These ingredient details will help you get the mixture and glaze right.
- Ground turkey: Use raw ground turkey for this recipe. Cooked turkey isn’t a direct substitute.
- Dry stuffing mix: Use a 6-ounce box, including its seasoning. Lightly crush large bread pieces, but don’t prepare the stuffing according to the package directions.
- Eggs: Help bind the turkey and stuffing together.
- Milk: Moistens the dry stuffing mix.
- Onion: Finely dice it so the meatballs don’t contain large onion pieces.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, parsley, poultry seasoning, pepper, and salt add flavour. Check the stuffing mix’s salt content before adding the full amount of salt.
- Cranberry sauce: Jellied cranberry sauce makes a smoother glaze. Whole-berry sauce leaves cranberry pieces.
- Barbecue sauce: Choose a sauce you enjoy. Its sweetness and smokiness will affect the finished glaze.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness.
- Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar: Balance the sweet ingredients with a little tang.
How to make turkey stuffing meatballs
Prepare the meatballs first and make the glaze while they bake. Keeping those steps together helps dinner come together in about 45 minutes.
Want the printable recipe card? It’s down at the bottom of this post.
Prepare the baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the turkey and stuffing
Place the ground turkey, dry stuffing mix, eggs, milk, onion, and seasonings in a large bowl.
Mix gently until everything is evenly distributed. Clean hands can make this easier, but stop once the mixture comes together.
Shape and bake
Divide the mixture into approximately 24 equal portions. Gently roll each portion into a meatball and arrange them on the baking sheet with space between them.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the centres reach 165°F. Check several meatballs with an instant-read thermometer rather than relying on their colour. Ground poultry needs to reach 165°F for safety.
Prepare the cranberry glaze
While the meatballs bake, combine the cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar in a large skillet.
Warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the cranberry sauce breaks down and the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture gently simmer until glossy and slightly thickened.
If the glaze gets too thick, stir in a small splash of water.
Coat and serve
Add the cooked meatballs to the skillet and gently turn them in the glaze.
You can also leave the meatballs uncoated and spoon the glaze over them at the table. That works well when serving them over mashed potatoes.
Sarita’s Recipe Tips
A little care with mixing and portioning helps the meatballs cook evenly. These are the details to keep in mind.
📌 Mix gently. Stop once the ingredients are combined, and avoid squeezing the meatballs tightly when shaping them.
📌 Keep portions even. Similar-sized meatballs should finish cooking at roughly the same time.
📌 Watch the added salt. Boxed stuffing already contains seasoning, and the saltiness varies by brand.
📌 Check seasoning with a cooked sample. If you want to taste the mixture before shaping the whole batch, cook a small portion to 165°F first.
📌 Thin the glaze a little at a time. Add a small splash of water, stir, and check the consistency before adding more.
📌 Plan around your leftovers. Extra potatoes and cooked vegetables can round out this dinner without another full recipe.
What to serve with turkey stuffing meatballs
Mashed potatoes make a good base for the meatballs and cranberry glaze. Add a vegetable or another holiday side to complete the meal.
- For a vegetable, try my crispy roasted Parmesan carrots. Their savoury cheese coating pairs well with the sweet cranberry glaze.
- For a bigger holiday-style dinner, add a dish of Grandma’s Old Fashioned Stuffing. It’s made with day-old bread, butter, onion, celery, and herbs.
- My no-cook cranberry relish with apple and orange on An Off Grid Life adds a fresh, tart side to the plate. Serve it separately from the glaze so everyone can add a spoonful.
- If you’d like another potato side, try my cheesy potato puffs made with leftover mashed potatoes. Bake them separately and serve alongside the meatballs.
Storing and reheating leftovers
Store the cooked meatballs in shallow, airtight containers. You can keep the glaze with them or refrigerate it separately.
Refrigerate: Put leftovers in the refrigerator within two hours and use within 3–4 days.
Freeze: Freeze in meal-size portions and use within three months for best quality.
Reheat: Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator. Warm the meatballs and glaze in a covered skillet, adding a little water if needed, until the meatballs reach 165°F throughout.
Turkey stuffing meatballs FAQs
The turkey and stuffing need to go into the mixture in the correct form. These answers cover the most common ingredient questions.
Can I use leftover cooked turkey?
This recipe needs raw ground turkey. If you have cooked holiday turkey to use up, try my leftover turkey pot pie with cream of chicken soup instead.
Do I prepare the boxed stuffing first?
No. Add the stuffing mix dry, including its seasoning. The milk and eggs moisten it in the meatball mixture.
Can I replace the dry mix with homemade cooked stuffing?
Prepared stuffing contains added moisture and fat, so it needs different measurements. This recipe’s quantities are for dry stuffing mix; a homemade stuffing version needs testing before you make that substitution.
Can I use whole-berry cranberry sauce?
Yes. It leaves cranberry pieces in the glaze. Use jellied cranberry sauce if you prefer a smoother sauce.
Can I make smaller appetizer meatballs?
Yes. Divide the mixture into more portions and check them earlier, since smaller meatballs cook faster. They still need to reach 165°F in the centre.
What can I do with extra mashed potatoes?
Serve them under the meatballs, or save them for another meal. My ideas for using leftover mashed potatoes include potato cakes, soups, and dinner options.
Why are my turkey meatballs dry?
Very lean turkey and overbaking can contribute to dryness. Mix gently and check the temperature so you can remove the meatballs once they reach 165°F.
Turkey Stuffing Meatballs
Equipment
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
Turkey Stuffing Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 6 ounces dry stuffing mix large pieces lightly crushed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt or less depending on the stuffing mix
Cranberry mustard glaze
- 14 ounces canned cranberry sauce
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the ground turkey, dry stuffing mix, eggs, milk, onion, garlic powder, parsley, poultry seasoning, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Mix gently until evenly combined.
- Divide into approximately 24 equal portions. Gently roll into meatballs and place on the baking sheet, leaving space between them.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the centres reach 165°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
- Meanwhile, combine the cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until the cranberry sauce breaks down and the sugar dissolves. Gently simmer until glossy and slightly thickened, adding a little water if needed.
- Gently toss the cooked meatballs in the glaze, or serve the glaze spooned over the meatballs.
Notes
- These measurements require dry stuffing mix.
- Jellied cranberry sauce makes a smoother glaze; whole-berry sauce leaves cranberry pieces.
- Smaller meatballs cook faster. Start checking them earlier and cook to 165°F.
- Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use within 3–4 days.
