Thanksgiving / Christmas dinner for two! Delicious cranberry turkey meatballs are the perfect alternative for a simplified dinner that has all the flavors of thanksgiving and ready in under 45 minutes. Served over creamy sweet potato mash with a serving of Parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts & smothered in gravy.

This recipe is such a great alternative to the traditional roasted turkey dinner, its perfect for two and can easily be adjusted to feed a small family or Friendsgiving dinner.

All the flavours of a turkey dinner packed into delicious meatballs. Chopped cranberries, celery, sage, thyme, rosemary and garlic. We served these with creamy sweet potato mash seasoned with a hint of cinnamon which ties so well with the sweetness of the sweet potato and the herb gravy. We also made crispy Parmesan Brussels sprouts for a wholesome meal.

For the pan gravy, we simply made the roux directly in the same pan we used to cook the meatballs and used the turkey drippings. Add some beef broth and herbs like fresh sage and fresh thyme for a dark & rich creamy gravy.

This dish smells so good we couldn’t wait to dig in. It’s the perfect quick & easy thanksgiving dinner recipe without all the hassle from cooking a turkey.

Enjoy!

@thecommunalfeast

Print Recipe

CRANBERRY HERB TURKEY MEATBALLS

Thanksgiving / Christmas dinner for two! Delicious cranberry turkey meatballs are the perfect alternative for a simplified dinner that has all the flavors of thanksgiving and ready in under 45 minutes. Served over creamy sweet potato mash with a serving of Parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts & smothered in gravy.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Thanksgiving

Servings: 2

Author: the communal feast

Ingredients

• For the meatballs:
• 1 lbs ground turkey
• 1 celery rib washed and chopped into very small cubes
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped into very small pieces
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• ½ tablespoon onion powder
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
• ½ tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 1 egg
• ½ cup or less of seasoned panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• For the gravy:
• 1 shallot diced into small pieces
• 2 cups beef broth
• Turkey meatballs drippings
• 3-4 tablespoons of flour
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• Salt & pepper to taste
• For the sweet potato mash:
• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed into large chunks
• Salt & pepper to taste
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon
• Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
• Cubed butter for serving
• For the Parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts:
• 1 lbs Brussels sprouts washed, trimmed and cut in half
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 4 cloves of garlic minded
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions

To make the meatballs:

• 1. Add all the ingredients into a bowl, using your hands gently combine the mixture together -careful not to overmix.
• 2. Form meatballs, roll meatballs using your hands into balls.
• 3. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F
• 4. To an oven safe pan, large enough to fit all your meatballs -we made 12, heat olive oil over medium high heat
• 5. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan and sear both sides until golden dark brown -about 4 minutes per side
• 6. Transfer the meatballs to the oven and finish cooking. Cook for 12-15 minutes depending on size of balls
• 7. Once the meatballs are ready, remove from oven, remove from pan and keep warm. Do not rinse pan -save the turkey drippings for the gravy

To make the sweet potato mash:

• 1. Bring a pot of water to a boil
• 2. Add the sweet potato cubes and boil for 25 minutes
• 3. Strain and rinse the sweet potatoes
• 4. Once the potatoes have cooled slightly, transfer to a mixing bowl
• 5. Mash sweet potatoes with a blender until smooth
• 6. Add melted butter, heavy cream, cinnamon, salt & pepper. Mash using the blender until creamy and smooth -keep warm until ready to serve
• To make the Parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts
• 1. To a bowl, add all the ingredients and gently toss together
• 2. Line a baking sheet and spread the Brussels sprouts evenly. Feel free to grate extra Parmesan cheese over top each Brussels sprouts
• 3. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes
• 4. Remove and set aside until ready to serve

To make the gravy:

• 1. In the same pan you used to cook the meatballs, using your leftover turkey dripping, heat over medium high heat
• 2. Add the chopped shallot and cook for 3 minutes.
• 3. Next make the roux, add the flour and whisk until the roux turns into a deep golden brown -about 3 minutes
• 4. Add the beef broth, fresh thyme and sage leaves. Bring to a boil whisking occasionally
• 5. Next add the heavy cream and season with salt & pepper
• 6. Let the gravy simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens

To assemble:

• 1. Start by placing the warm sweet potato mash into each plate, garnish with butter cube and fresh chopped parsley
• 2. Next layer the turkey meatballs over the mash, add the Brussels sprouts and top with gravy
• 3. Serve immediately with warm bread or dinner rolls for a wholesome thanksgiving dinner
• Enjoy!
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Notes

to save time, finish cooking the meatballs in the oven alongside the Brussels sprouts and at this
time, the sweet potatoes should almost be done boiling and ready to mash