These healthy Thanksgiving turkey meatballs with gravy combine ground turkey, seasoned stuffing mix, sautéed onions and celery, and fresh herbs in a simple homemade gravy. They capture classic holiday flavors without roasting a whole bird—perfect for a small Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or a cozy weeknight dinner.
Thanksgiving Turkey Meatballs
If you love the flavors of Thanksgiving but don’t want to carve a whole turkey, these meatballs deliver everything you crave—savory stuffing, aromatic herbs, gentle sautéed vegetables, and a rich pan gravy. They’re excellent spooned over mashed potatoes, nestled on egg noodles, or served alongside green beans and cranberry sauce for a smaller holiday meal. The recipe scales well and can be adapted for a weeknight dinner or an intimate holiday gathering.
Why You’ll Love These Thanksgiving Turkey Meatballs
I developed and tested these meatballs until they were a family favorite. They earned praise from neighbors and guests alike. The combination of stuffing and seasoning keeps the turkey moist and flavorful, while the gravy ties everything together.
- Classic holiday flavors in a single, easy-to-make dish you can enjoy year-round.
- Moist, flavorful meatballs—the stuffing mix helps bind and season the mixture, and the gravy elevates each bite.
- Great for smaller gatherings or when you want Thanksgiving taste without the whole turkey.
- Make-ahead friendly: Many steps can be completed ahead of time to simplify serving to guests.
Ingredients You’ll Need
I’ve separated the ingredients into two groups: turkey meatballs and the quick homemade gravy. See the recipe card below for exact measurements and nutrition details.
Meatballs
- Binders: One large egg and seasoned dried stuffing mix hold the meatball mixture together. Any basic seasoned stuffing mix works well.
- Broth: Turkey or chicken stock softens the stuffing and adds savory depth.
- Olive oil: For sautéing the onion and celery.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and poultry seasoning for that familiar holiday profile.
- Aromatics: Yellow onion and garlic for flavor.
- Celery: A traditional stuffing ingredient that adds texture.
- Fresh herbs: Sage in the meatballs and parsley for garnish.
- Lean ground turkey: 93% lean keeps the meatballs high in protein and lower in fat.
- Grated Parmesan: A small amount adds salty, savory notes.
Gravy
- Stock: Turkey or chicken stock is the base for the gravy.
- Herbs: Simmer sprigs of sage and thyme to infuse the gravy with holiday aromatics.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, black pepper, and a touch of poultry seasoning.
- Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the gravy into a smooth sauce.
- Unsalted butter: Adds silkiness and richness at the end.
How to Make Turkey Meatballs and Gravy
The salt level and final flavor depend on the brand of stuffing you use, so the recipe recommends cooking a small test meatball and adjusting seasoning before shaping the whole batch. Below is an overview of the method; full step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe card.
For the Meatballs
- Soften the stuffing: Whisk the egg with the stock, stir in the stuffing mix, and let it stand until softened.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and celery with a portion of the salt and pepper until softened, about 8–10 minutes. Add garlic, chopped sage, poultry seasoning, and a splash of water; cook briefly, then stir into the softened stuffing and chill until cool.
- Combine the mix: Add ground turkey, grated Parmesan, and remaining salt and pepper to the cooled stuffing mixture. Use moist hands to combine evenly.
- Test for seasoning: Shape one small patty and cook it to taste. Adjust seasoning if needed, then form the rest into about 30 small meatballs (roughly ping-pong-ball size).
- Brown the meatballs: Arrange the meatballs on a foil-lined sheet pan sprayed with oil and broil 5–6 minutes until browned. Broiling quickly achieves color without long pan-roasting; watch carefully to avoid burning.
For the Quick Turkey Gravy
- Simmer the stock: Bring most of the stock to a boil with fresh sage and thyme, plus salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to infuse flavor, then discard the sprigs.
- Make a flour slurry: Blend cold stock with flour and poultry seasoning until smooth, then temper with some hot stock before returning to the pot.
- Finish the gravy: Whisk the slurry into the simmering stock until it thickens, then whisk in unsalted butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Simmer with the meatballs: Gently add the browned meatballs to the gravy, cover, and simmer until cooked through and the flavors meld. Uncover near the end to reduce and thicken the sauce if desired.
Variations
- Save time: Use a good-quality store-bought gravy if you’re short on time.
- Protein swap: Ground chicken works well in place of turkey.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free stuffing and a GF flour for the slurry.
- No poultry seasoning? Combine dried rosemary, thyme, parsley, and sage to taste.
Serving Suggestions
- Holiday-style: Serve the meatballs and gravy over garlic mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes with green beans and cranberry sauce on the side.
- Weeknight dinner: Spoon the meatballs and gravy over egg noodles for a cozy, simple meal.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can broil the meatballs a day ahead and refrigerate them. When ready to serve, prepare the gravy and warm the meatballs in the sauce. Alternatively, form the meatballs up to two days in advance and keep them refrigerated on a tray in an airtight container. The gravy tastes its best when made the same day, but reheating works fine with a splash of stock to loosen the sauce.
How to Store and Reheat
- Refrigerate: Store meatballs and gravy in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze portions for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Add a little broth if the gravy thickened too much.
More Turkey Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy these flavors, try other turkey-centered dishes like slow-cooked turkey breast with gravy, a sheet pan Thanksgiving for four, turkey roulade with cranberry stuffing, stuffed turkey breasts with winter vegetables and figs, or air-fryer turkey breasts. These options make it easy to enjoy turkey in different formats without a whole roast.
Thanksgiving Turkey Meatballs and Gravy
Equipment
- Large sheet pan
- Large deep skillet
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup turkey or chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
- 1 1/2 cups seasoned dried stuffing mix (about 3 1/2 oz)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 medium celery stalks, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 1/2 lb 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 3/4 oz)
- Parsley, chopped, for garnish
Gravy
- 4 cups turkey or chicken stock, plus more if needed
- 1 large sprig fresh sage
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Make the meatballs: Whisk the egg and 3/4 cup stock until smooth. Stir in the stuffing mix and set aside to soften.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper until tender, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic, sage, poultry seasoning and 2 tsp water; cook 2 minutes. Combine with the softened stuffing and chill until the vegetables are cool, about 10 minutes.
- Add the ground turkey, Parmesan, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to the stuffing mixture; mix with wet hands until combined.
- Test seasoning: form a small patty and cook to taste. Adjust seasoning if needed. Form the rest into about 30 small meatballs (2 tbsp each) and place on a foil-lined, oiled sheet pan.
- Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and broil the meatballs 5–6 minutes until browned. Watch closely to avoid burning. Set aside.
- Make the gravy: In a large pot, combine 3 1/2 cups stock with sage, thyme, 1 tsp salt (use less if stock is salted), and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Discard herb sprigs.
- In a blender, combine remaining 1/2 cup cold stock with the flour and poultry seasoning; blend until smooth. Add 1 cup hot stock to temper and blend again. Pour the mixture into the pot, whisking until thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter and adjust seasoning.
- Gently add the browned meatballs to the simmering gravy. Cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover the last 5 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce if needed.
- Serve: Transfer meatballs and gravy to a serving bowl, garnish with parsley, and serve hot over mashed potatoes or noodles.
Notes
- For a shortcut, use a high-quality store-bought gravy.
- To make this gluten-free, substitute gluten-free stuffing and flour in the recipe.
- Ground chicken is an easy swap for turkey if preferred.
