Clean and Simple Salisbury Turkey Meatballs

A close up image of a serving of mashed cauliflower topped with two Salisbury meatballs in gravy.

5 from 4 votes

Clean and Simple Salisbury Turkey Meatballs

These meatballs are simple, delicious, and healthy. Made with wholesome ingredients, it comes together in no time and pairs well with veggies or mashes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 269kcal

Author: Kitrusy

Ingredients

For Meatballs:

1 lb ground turkey
1 large egg
2 tbsp Parmesean cheese (optional)
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic (fresh or powder)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp smoked paprika

For Gravy:

3 tbsp salted butter (divided)
1/2 medium onion (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
6 oz mushrooms (sliced)
2 tbsp stone ground whole wheat pastry flour (or 100% white whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 - 2 cups beef bone broth (or beef stock)
1 tsp Himalayan salt (to taste)
1 tsp ground black pepper (to taste)
chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

For Meatballs

Preheat your oven to 350°F
Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs into a bowl until everything is well dispersed and integrated.
Portion the meat mixture into 12-16 evenly sized portions and roll each portion into a ball.
Place each ball on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

For Gravy:

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a medium-sized saucepan. When the butter is melted and just begins to bubble and froth add in the onions and garlic and fry until the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds)
Add in the mushrooms and cook on medium-heat until half of the liquid in the pan (released by the mushrooms and onions and butter) has evaporated and cooked off and the mushrooms are browned. Lower the heat and continue cooking until all the liquid is gone and the mushrooms are just beginning to fry. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to the pan that the mushrooms were cooked in. When the butter has melted and is bubbling add the flour. Ensure that the heat is low. Stir incorporate the butter and flour until the flour is no longer white and has absorbed all the butter.
After 1-2 minutes, when the flour and butter is cooked through, add half of the broth in and begin to whisk continuously to ensure that no lumps form.
Increase the heat to med-high and allow the smooth, lump-free gravy to come to a simmer while continuing to whisk and adding more broth as needed.
When the gravy has thickened to your liking, remove it from the heat and add the cooked mushrooms back to the pan.
Add the meatballs to the pan and smother them in the gravy. Top with fresh parsley (or cilantro) and serve.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Notes

Feel free to use a half beef, half turkey combination or even full beef if you prefer.
You can make this recipe by cooking the meatballs first in the pan you intend to make the gravy in. This works especially great with beef which contains more fat than turkey does so the drippings will aid in developing an even richer depth of flavor for your gravy!
If your ground turkey is too wet or loose, add in 1/3 cup of gluten-free or 100% whole wheat breadcrumbs to help it bind together

Nutrition