Easy Turkey Swedish Meatballs are a lightened-up version of traditional Swedish Meatballs. Served in a delicious, creamy sauce. Serve them over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles.
This lightened up version of Swedish Meatballs is made with ground turkey instead of the traditional combination of ground beef and ground pork. Plus, they’re doused in a better-for-you sauce made with reduced-fat sour cream, instead of the traditional heavy cream.
Swedish meatballs are a beloved comfort food but did you know you can make a healthier version with turkey? These flavorful turkey Swedish meatballs are easy to make and perfect for a weeknight meal. Keep reading for my favorite swedish turkey meatball recipe!
As a busy mom, I’m always looking for ways to make dinner quicker and healthier. My family loves traditional Swedish meatballs with beef and pork, but I wanted a lighter option. After testing a few recipes, I landed on this easy turkey Swedish meatball recipe that has become a regular in our meal rotation.
Why Choose Turkey Meatballs?
There are a few reasons I prefer ground turkey for meatballs rather than beef or pork
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Lower in fat and calories – Turkey breast is a leaner protein than beef or pork. Each meatball has only 2.5g fat!
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Budget-friendly – Ground turkey is usually cheaper per pound compared to other ground meats.
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Mild flavor – Turkey has a mild taste that takes on the flavor of spices and sauce well. Kids tend to love turkey meatballs.
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Easy to make – Ground turkey has a softer texture that holds together better than beef when shaping meatballs.
Tips for Making Turkey Swedish Meatballs
Follow these tips for tender, flavorful turkey meatballs every time:
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Use a combination of white and dark turkey meat. Dark meat has more fat for moisture, but white meat keeps it lighter. I find a 1:1 ratio works perfectly.
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Chill the meat mixture before shaping. This helps the meatballs hold their shape better when cooked. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or even overnight.
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Bake the meatballs if you want crispy edges. Pan frying will be quicker, but baking makes them extra tasty.
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Simmer the meatballs in sauce at the end. This infuses them with lots of flavor.
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Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Don’t forget the lingonberry jam for the full Swedish experience!
My Favorite Swedish Turkey Meatball Recipe
The ingredients for these meatballs are simple – ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, and seasonings.
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey (half breast, half dark meat)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
Sauce
- 1 can beef broth (14 oz)
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Form meat mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through (160°F internal temperature).
- In a small bowl, whisk flour into beef broth. Pour into saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and stir in Worcestershire, parsley, pepper and sour cream. Add meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve meatballs and sauce over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
The sour cream gives the sauce a nice tang without making it too heavy. I also like to simmer cranberries, bay leaf, and broth together for a quick homemade lingonberry sauce to serve on the side.
More Delicious Ways to Use Turkey Meatballs
Part of the fun of turkey meatballs is adapting them to different cuisines:
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Italian – Add oregano, basil, fennel and Parmesan. Serve with marinara sauce.
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Asian – Use soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil. Toss cooked meatballs in teriyaki or sweet chili sauce.
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Southwestern – Season with cumin, chili powder and cilantro. Top with salsa and avocado.
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Swedish – The classic! Add nutmeg and allspice and serve with lingonberry jam.
Turkey meatballs are so versatile. They can be dinner, appetizers, sandwiches, and more. I like to shape them into mini meatballs for snacking too.
Give Turkey Swedish Meatballs a Try!
How to make ahead & store
You can form the turkey meatballs ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator for up to three days until you’re ready to cook them. Or, to store the cooked meatballs, simply store them with the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
To freeze Turkey Swedish Meatballs:
- Bake.
- Let cool.
- Freeze on a baking sheet, with meatballs spaced apart so they don’t stick to each other.
- Once frozen, store in freezer safe bags.
- To serve, bake meatballs at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
Note: I don’t recommend freezing the swedish meatball sauce. I would make that last minute and add the meatballs to it before serving.
How to make them
The most time consuming part of making Turkey Swedish Meatballs is forming them. I’ve found that using a cookie scoop makes the process much easier. If you don’t have a scoop, you can also form them by hand. Wetting your hands before forming the meatballs makes them less sticky to work with.
- Combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion powder salt and pepper.
- Shape mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 400-degrees for 15-20 minutes.
On to that delicious Turkey Swedish Meatball sauce! The best part if you ask me!
It’s tangy, creamy and delicious and I like to drown my meatballs in it:
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for a couple minutes, stirring constantly, until it turns golden.
- Whisk in the chicken broth. Then add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and dijon mustard; cook for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add meatballs to the gravy; simmer for 1-2 minutes, spooning gravy over the meatballs.
- Enjoy over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles, garnished with fresh parsley and lingonberry jam, if desired.
- Don’t over handle the ground turkey, otherwise your meatballs can become too dense, and not as tender.
- Be sure your meatballs are roughly the same size before baking. This ensures they’ll cook evenly.
- Use a cookie scoop to make the process easier and ensure your meatballs are all the same size.
- If using your hands, wet them to make the process less sticky.
- Meatballs are done when they reach a temperature of 165-degrees. I love using this meat thermometer to test for doneness.
- You can use beef or pork (or a combination) to make these Swedish Meatballs more authentic. The process and cook time will remain the same. You may want to swap beef broth for the chicken stock.
Turkey Swedish Meatballs
FAQ
What is Swedish meatball sauce made of?
What makes Swedish meatballs different?
Why are my turkey meatballs rubbery?
How do you keep turkey meatballs from falling apart?
How do you make Turkey meatballs?
Prepare a large non-stick skillet with a lid. In a large bowl, mix together the turkey, onion, garlic, egg, ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, nutmeg, allspice and the oats. Using a spoon or scoop, form meatballs (about 1 and ½ tablespoon of meat each) and place in the prepared skillet. I typically get 25-30 per batch.
How do you make Turkey meatballs kosher?
Place 1 pound ground turkey, 1 large egg, 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and grated shallot in a large bowl. Use your hands to gently work everything together into a homogenous mixture. Scoop the meatballs into 2 tablespoon-sized portions and roll into balls.
Are Swedish meatballs made with ground turkey?
Classic Swedish meatballs made with ground turkey. We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. A plate of Swedish meatballs, complete with creamy gravy and tender egg noodles, is the perfect quick-yet-satisfying dinner that’ll please everyone.
How long do you cook Turkey meatballs in the oven?
Let cool briefly, about 5 minutes. Combine onion mixture, turkey, bread crumbs, egg, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoon parsley, allspice, and nutmeg in a large bowl; mix well to combine. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Transfer to baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.