I would never have thought that making homemade meatballs could be easy and taste good. This recipe for Ground Turkey Swedish Meatballs is simple enough to make, even on busy days.
I have tried ground beef and turkey to make this recipe. We all agree, and we prefer ground turkey. Someday, I plan on giving some ground chicken a try. I will post an update on how it goes.
The ground beef meatballs are a little too heavy and greasy for our taste.
Table of contents
I have also seen many recipes that use butter and heavy cream. Again, that is a little heavy for us.
This recipe calls for a little bit of half and half. Just enough to give a creamy texture.
Ingredients needed
- Ground Turkey
- Olive Oil (not shown in the photo above)
- Half 'n Half
- Bread Crumbs
- Onion
- Salt
- Pepper
- Nutmeg
- Allspice
- Parsley
- Beef or Chicken Broth
- Egg Noodles
Find all the recipe amounts and complete directions below on the recipe card.
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How to prepare this recipe
Before starting the meatballs, I like to prepare the egg noodles and set them aside so they will be ready when I need them.
Add the ground turkey, bread crumbs, finely chopped onion, some of the half 'n half, and seasonings in a bowl.
Use either a spoon or your hands to mix all ingredients.
When using ground beef, using your hands is often easier. However, the ground turkey is soft enough to mix well with a spoon.
Once the ingredients are combined, it is time to make the meatballs.
Since I am lazy, I like using my cookie scoop to make the meatballs. Sometimes I round them out better using my hands. Sometimes I don't.
This cookie scoop holds about one tablespoon of the meatball mixture. I have a smaller scoop that I have also used as well.
Now, my onion is probably chopped in bigger chunks than some people might like. You can always chop the onion finer or even use onion powder or dried minced onion instead. Whichever way works best for you.
Time to cook the meatballs. Since these are ground turkey meatballs, the mixture is soft. So, remember to work gently with it.
Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and carefully add the meatballs.
Let them cook for a couple of minutes and check to see how they are browning. You can give the pan a shake or gently lift one of the meatballs to see if they release easily.
As you can see, I had some hot spots in my pan. That is okay! I can hear Chef Anne Burrell whispering in my ear... "brown food is good food!". She is right!
Turn over, roll around, or move around the meatballs and continue to cook for a minute or two.
It is time to pour in the broth. Today I am using beef broth because that is what I have available. You can also use chicken or vegetable broth.
Bring the broth to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes. We need to make sure that the meat is thoroughly cooked and the onion has softened.
Use a meat thermometer and make sure that the center of the meatballs has reached at least 165 degrees.
Add the remaining half 'n half and stir well. Now is an excellent time to check the seasoning. Please give it a taste and adjust salt and/or pepper as needed.
Heat thoroughly and get some egg noodles ready. (I like to cook the egg noodles first and set them aside until the meatballs and sauce are ready.)
Add the egg noodles and stir to combine.
Sprinkle a little parsley in there and serve. And there you go—Ground Turkey Swedish Meatballs.
Yummy, simple, and maybe a little bit healthier than some other Swedish Meatball recipes?
And the clean-up isn't that bad. There are a few dishes to wash, but it is worth it for this recipe.
Tips / Suggestions
- Instead of chopped onion, you can easily substitute onion powder or dried minced onion.
- I often only have dried parsley on hand, but I love using fresh parsley to top off the dish when finished.
- If you are not a fan of egg noodles, trying serving the meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes.
- Beef, chicken, or vegetable broth all work well in this recipe.
- If you don't have allspice, try substituting with a dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in its place.
Enjoy!
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Recipe
Ground Turkey Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Ground Turkey
- ¼ cup Breadcrumbs plain
- ½ cup Half 'n Half divided
- ½ cup Onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice
- 1 teaspoon Parsley
- 14.5 ounce Broth 1 can chicken, beef, or vegetable
- 8 ounces Egg Noodles
Instructions
- Cook the egg noodles per package instructions and set aside.
- Put the ground turkey in a bowl and add the bread crumbs, ¼ cup of the half 'n 'half, onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice. Mix well using a spoon or your hands.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form meatballs using about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture for each meatball.
- Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Drizzle the olive oil in the pan and gently place the meatballs into the hot skillet.
- Cook for a couple of minutes and check to see how the meatballs are browning. When they release easily from the pan, turn them over and continue to brown.
- When the meatballs have browned to your liking, add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees.
- Add the remaining ¼ cup of half 'n half. Stir and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the egg noodles or serve the meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes. Top with a bit of parsley.
Notes
Tips
- Instead of chopped onion, you can easily substitute onion powder or dried minced onion.
- I often only have dried parsley on hand, but I love using fresh parsley to top off the dish when finished.
- If you are not a fan of egg noodles, trying serving the meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes.
- Beef, chicken, or vegetable broth all work well in this recipe.
- If you don’t have allspice, try substituting with a dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in its place.
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