Turkey Meatballs Cranberry Glaze (Printable)

Baked turkey meatballs tossed in a sweet-tart cranberry glaze, perfect for gatherings or comforting meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Turkey Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
03 - 1/4 cup milk
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small onion, finely grated
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
10 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme

→ Cranberry Glaze

11 - 1 cup cranberry sauce (whole berry or jellied)
12 - 2 tbsp orange juice
13 - 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
14 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
15 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
16 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl; let sit for 2 minutes to soften.
03 - Add ground turkey, egg, garlic, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and thyme to softened breadcrumbs; mix gently until just combined.
04 - Shape mixture into 1-inch diameter meatballs and arrange on prepared baking sheet.
05 - Bake for 18–20 minutes until golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - While meatballs bake, combine cranberry sauce, orange juice, honey, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and ginger in a saucepan; simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until glossy and slightly thickened, about 5–7 minutes.
07 - Transfer meatballs to a large bowl and toss with warm cranberry glaze until evenly coated.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're lean and juicy at the same time, which honestly feels like a small miracle when you're using ground turkey.
  • The sweet-tart glaze does all the heavy lifting, making these feel fancier than the five minutes of active work they require.
  • They work as an appetizer for a party or as a main dish over rice, so you get two meals from one recipe.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the meatball mixture or they become rubbery; you're looking for just combined, not smooth like a paste.
  • If your glaze breaks or becomes too thick, add a splash of orange juice and stir gently off heat until it comes back together.
  • Bake them on a sheet first before tossing with glaze, otherwise the bottoms won't brown and develop flavor.
03 -
  • A light coating of cooking spray on the baking sheet prevents sticking and makes cleanup almost effortless.
  • Use a cookie scoop or small spoon to portion out the mixture so all your meatballs are uniform in size and cook at the same rate.

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