These turkey and stuffing meatballs deliver all the nostalgic flavours of a holiday dinner in one bite. Baked until tender and then simmered in a smoky, tangy cranberry sauce, they’re ideal for entertaining or making ahead for busy weeknights. Keep them warm in a slow cooker or serve as part of a festive spread.

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Table of Contents

• Ingredients
  
• How to make turkey & stuffing meatballs
  
• Tips for success
  
• FAQ
  

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Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 box (170g) stuffing mix (about 2 cups)
  
• ¾ cup milk
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  
• 454g (1 lb) ground turkey
  

For the smoky cranberry sauce:

• 2 cups cranberry sauce
  
• ¼ cup orange juice
  
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  

To garnish:

• Fresh parsley, chopped
  

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How to make turkey & stuffing meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix and milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
   
3. Add the egg, Dijon mustard, and rosemary. Mix well, then add the ground turkey. Stir until fully combined.
   
4. With damp hands, form the mixture into 1½ inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to help them hold their shape.
   
5. While the meatballs are resting, prepare the cranberry sauce. In a large pot, combine the cranberry sauce, orange juice, smoked paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and red wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Thin with extra orange juice or water if needed.
   
6. Bake the meatballs on the middle rack for 10–12 minutes or until cooked through. They should firm up and lightly brown on the bottom.
   
7. Add the cooked meatballs to the warm cranberry sauce. Stir gently to coat, then garnish with fresh parsley.
   

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Tips for success

• Chilling the formed meatballs helps them stay round while baking.
  
• Use a cookie scoop to keep the meatballs uniform in size.
  
• Add water or orange juice to the sauce if it becomes too thick.
  
• These meatballs freeze well. Reheat gently in sauce until hot.
  

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FAQ

Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes. Both the meatballs and cranberry sauce can be prepared in advance. Store separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat the sauce, add the meatballs, and warm through before serving.

Can I use fresh cranberries?
You can, but you’ll need to cook them down with sugar and liquid to create a sauce before proceeding with the rest of the ingredients.

Can I substitute the turkey?
Ground chicken also works well, but turkey gives a more classic “holiday” flavour.

Do these freeze well?
Yes. Freeze the baked meatballs and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Turkey & Stuffing Meatballs with Smokey Cranberry Sauce

Print Recipe

• Author: Andrea Buckett

Ingredients

Units USM

For the meatballs

• 1 box (170g) about 2 cups, stuffing mix
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary
• 454g (1lb) ground turkey

For the smokey cranberry sauce

• 2 cups cranberry sauce
• 1/4 orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Parsley for garnish

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

1. Add the stuffing mix and milk to a bowl. Stir to combine and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the egg, Dijon and rosemary and mix well to combine.Add the ground turkey and mix until everything is well combined.
3. Use damp hands to form the turkey mixture into 1 ½” (roughly) round meatballs and set on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer the meatballs to the fridge for 15 minutes..
4. In the meantime, add the cranberry sauce, paprika, cayenne, pepper, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard to a pot (big enough to accommodate all the meatballs). Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  If the mixture gets too thick, feel free to add a little water or orange juice to thin it out.
5. To cook the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the meatballs on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes until cooked through. The meatballs should get a little darker in color but won’t brown as much as they would had you fried them.
6. Add the cooked meatballs to the cranberry sauce, garnish with parsley and serve.

 

Notes

Tip: Both the meatballs and the cranberry sauce can be made ahead of time. Store them separately. When you are ready to serve, warm the cranberry sauce (add a little water if you need to thin it out) to a pot and warm it up before adding the meatballs. Keep them warm in a crock pot if they won’t be eaten straight away.