It’s a crazy idea, but I did it. I took some of my favorites from a traditional turkey day meal and combined them into one huge meatball. So what was my inspiration?
Willy Wonka, of course.
Do you remember the Three Course Chewing gum: tomato soup, roast beef and blueberry pie? Don’t worry you won’t turn into a huge cranberry but you can taste the blended flavors of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
I hope you enjoy this twist on a quick turkey day meal. 
Turkey Stuffing Meatball
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
A meatball that combines the flavors of three delicious Thanksgiving Day foods: turkey, stuffing and cranberry.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) of ground turkey, thawed
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) red onion, chopped fine
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) celery, chopped fine
- 2 cups (480 ml) of boxed cornbread stuffing
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1/4 cup (60 g) of cream cheese, not too soft
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) of grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) of cranberry sauce
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) of breadcrumbs or panko crumbs
Instructions
- Combine the turkey, onion, celery, dried stuffing and salt in a bowl. Let the turkey meat sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Combine the cream cheese, mozzarella cheese and cranberry sauce. Let chill in the refrigerator until the turkey/stuffing mix is ready.
- Remove both bowls from refrigerator and start making the meatballs.
- In your hand, place a scoop of turkey meat mixture and flatten; add a small spoonful of cheese mixture. Shape into a ball. Set aside.
- Once all large meatballs are made, beat the egg in a small bowl and in a separate bowl, add breadcrumbs.
- Roll the meatballs in the egg and then the breadcrumbs place in a baking dish.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve with warm cranberry sauce.
Notes
- To make the warm cranberry sauce, I added one can of jellied cranberry sauce to a saucepan with a bit of water and whipped until it was smooth.
- I served the sauce warm in a gravy boat.
- Do not boil.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 190
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the turkey-stuffing mixture need to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before shaping?
The recipe instructs chilling the combined 1 lb ground turkey, onion, celery, boxed cornbread stuffing, and salt so the dry stuffing absorbs moisture from the turkey and the mixture firms up, making it much easier to flatten and wrap around the cream cheese filling without falling apart.
How do I make the warm cranberry sauce for serving?
The notes explain it: add one can of jellied cranberry sauce to a saucepan with a little water and whisk until smooth, heating gently. Serve warm in a gravy boat alongside the meatballs — and the notes specify do not boil.
Why does the recipe say to use cream cheese that is “not too soft”?
The cheese filling — ¼ cup cream cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, and 2 tbsp cranberry sauce — also chills in the refrigerator at the same time as the meat mixture. If the cream cheese is too warm and soft, the filling won’t hold together as a pocket inside the meatball during shaping.
