This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Every party needs a good meatball and these Rosemary Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Balsamic Sauce are sure to be a crowd pleaser this holiday season!
Hi friends! Danae from Recipe Runner here today. I’ve got an easy and delicious appetizer for you, Rosemary Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Balsamic Sauce. They’re perfect to serve at a holiday party, family get together or you can even have them for dinner on top of mashed potatoes or my favorite, mashed cauliflower.
Is anyone else still finding it hard to believe that Christmas is less than two weeks away?! I think part of my problem is that it’s been so dry and warmer than usual here in Denver. I’m not complaining though. I’m enjoying not freezing on my morning runs or having to deal with ice and snow.
I’m planning to get all of my Christmas shopping done this weekend. I will also make the food gifts that I plan to send to family out of state. It’s always a stressful weekend for me trying to get everything ready to ship and then making that dreaded trip to the post office early next week. I’m one of those people that hates standing in lines and waiting, I don’t have the patience for it.
I also don’t have much patience for complicated recipes when I’m making food for a party or family get together. Over the years I’ve learned to make food that can prepped ahead of time. These Rosemary Turkey Meatballs are a perfect example of that.
Meatballs are great because you can bake a big batch and store them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. It saves a good amount of time the day of your party or on a night when you don’t have time to mess with making dinner.
Another time saver is to use canned cranberry sauce. I’ll admit, when I made this recipe it was my first time ever buying the sauce in the can. You can definitely make your own, but if you don’t have time the canned sauce works great.
To jazz up the sauce I added sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar, orange zest, more fresh rosemary and sweetened it with honey. The sauce is thickened with arrowroot powder or cornstarch and then the rosemary turkey meatballs are added in. After simmering in the sauce they come out completely glazed with just the right amount of sweetness from the cranberry sauce and honey. They’ll be a hit at your party!
Rosemary Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Balsamic Sauce
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, or gluten-free bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Cranberry Balsamic Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups cranberry sauce, canned or homemade
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, tamari for gluten-free
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Juice of half an orange
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder mixed with 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. If using foil spray it with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk together all of the meatball ingredients, except the ground turkey, until combined. Once combined, add in the turkey and use your hands to incorporate everything together. Be careful not to work the meat too much or the meatballs will be tough.
- Scoop out tablespoon sized portions of the meat mixture, roll them into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Once all of the meatballs are formed spray or brush the tops with oil. Place them on the middle rack of the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- While the meatballs bake make the cranberry balsamic sauce.
- In a large saucepan whisk together all of the sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch water slurry) and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in the cornstarch slurry and whisk the sauce until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the baked meatballs into the sauce and stir to coat them. Cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve the meatballs on a serving platter or bowl with toothpicks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Meatball Appetizers
Bourbon Apple Cider Glazed Turkey Meatballs
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs
Mozzarella Stuffed Italian Meatballs
Connect with Danae:
I live in the middle east and do not have access to cranberries/cranberry sauce. Any substitute you recommend to offer the same viscosity and tartness? We have raspberry jam- that was kinda all I could think of.
You can definitely substitute the cranberry sauce for raspberry jam. If you do this, I would use only 1/2 to 3/4 cup of raspberry jam since the jam is likely sweeter than the cranberry sauce as jam usually contains sugar. If you try it, let us know how it turns out. Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
This looks so good! What a great holiday appetizer!
I made these for our holiday gathering and they are so flavorful, the meatballs were very tender and the glaze is the bomb!
This is fabulous! I love meatballs, especially if they’re not overcooked and dry (some people…) but you really got me with this saucy glaze! And finger foods are THE best.
I made the Bourbon Orange cranberry sauce. It was amazing! Thanks for linking that recipe, it’s definitely a keeper 😀
Thinking of putting this on the Thanksgiving table this year. But we don’t have canned cranberry sauce here. Do you have a good recipe for a home made sauce that would work well here?
Thanks!
Hi Tobbe! I have an Apple Cranberry Sauce recipe here: https://www.spoonfulofflavor.com/apple-cranberry-sauce/, but if you prefer a recipe without the apples, you can try this one too. https://reciperunner.com/bourbon-orange-cranberry-sauce/
Thank you so much! Both of those look so much more appetizing than the bouncy jelly thing that comes out of a can! 🙂
How nice of you to take the time to reply to the comments on your posts! 🙂