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Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls Cranberries and turkey make the ideal pairing, offering delicious turkey flavors combined with sweet tart cranberries to create an exquisite bite of goodness! Traditional stuffing consists of herbs, bread, and broth but these stuffing balls add an exciting new element by including tart sweet cranberries in every bite – the perfect complement to traditional stuffing for gatherings, parties or special events!
Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls: A Perfect Holiday Recipe
Difficulty: Easy14
servings20
minutes25
minutes98
kcalThe Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls recipe yields about 12-16 balls, perfect for a holiday appetizer or side dish. Preparation takes approximately 15-20 minutes, with a cooking time of 20-30 minutes. Each stuffing ball contains around 65-150 calories, making them a flavorful yet light addition to any meal. These stuffing balls combine savory turkey with tart cranberries, offering a delightful balance of flavors for festive gatherings.
Ingredients
1 pound of ground turkey
2 cups stuffing mix (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup of dried cranberries (or fresh cranberries, if desired)
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Concoct Your Stuffing Mix
To start, prepare your stuffing mix. If using ready-to-use stuffing mix, follow its directions but replace water with chicken broth to increase moisture and add flavor. Alternatively, toast some bread slices and sprinkle herbs such as thyme, sage and rosemary on them for homemade stuffing! - Sautee the Vegetables
To make stuffing balls that taste amazing, add chopped celery and onion to a skillet over medium-high temperature for about five minutes until tender – this will ensure a sweet caramelization in your stuffing balls! Finally, transfer everything into a bowl so the veggies have time to cool down slightly before scooping out of their stuffing balls! - Blend All Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey ground meat, stuffing mix, sauteed vegetables, dried cranberries and chopped parsley along with an egg to help bind them all. You may add salt and pepper according to taste. - Shape Balls
To form balls out of the mixture, use either your spoon or your fingers to roll it into uniformly-sized golf-ball-sized balls. Place these on a baking tray lined with parchment for baking; for an enhanced crisp appearance lightly brush or spray olive oil over the edges for additional crispiness. - Bake to Perfection
Preheat the oven to 375degF (190degC), baking balls of stuffing until turkey is cooked to perfection and the exterior becomes lightly crunchy and golden-brown in color – approximately 25-30 mins should do it! For best results use a meat thermometer to verify they have reached 165degF (75degC).
Tips for Crafting Stuffing Balls
Moisture Balance: If the balls you stuff are too dry, consider adding more chicken broth before rolling the balls up into balls – this way you ensure they maintain their shape without becoming excessively so.
Crispy Outside and Soft Inside: For crispier outer layers and soft interior balls of stuffing, be sure to bake at an extremely high temperature without overcrowding your baking sheets.
Make Ahead: These stuffing balls can be prepared ahead of time. Simply form them and freeze on a baking tray before moving them to an airtight freezer bag for later baking. Just place frozen balls directly in the oven after defrosting; allow several minutes for baking time before taking your stuffing balls out!
Serving Suggestions
Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls can be enjoyed as both dessert or main dish during any holiday meal, especially with traditional holiday dishes like mashed potatoes, gravy and roasted vegetables for an amazing holiday dinner! Plus they make great appetizers at parties during celebrations!
Add an extra punch of flavor by serving your balls of stuffing with either Cranberry Sauce or Homemade Gravy for a delicious complement of flavors! Cranberry Sauce pairs perfectly with dried Cranberries found within, while gravy can enhance both its savory and sweet notes in turkey dishes.
Nutritional Information
Each bite of these turkey and cranberry stuffing balls is packed with fiber and protein from lean ground turkey and dried cranberries, providing a healthier alternative for your holiday celebrations. Their lower fat content makes these an appealing option to try; dried cranberries offer antioxidant benefits while providing fuel for energy boost.
Questions on Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls
Can I use leftover turkey to create this dish?
Instead of ground turkey, you could also opt for prepared turkey – simply chop or shred the cooked bird and use in stuffing recipes as desired. Doing this may reduce cooking times as all ingredients will already be prepared.
Are these recipes gluten-free or must I modify them accordingly?
Absolutely! For gluten-free dinner rolls, use gluten-free stuffing mix or bread. Also ensure that all other ingredients such as chicken broth and dried cranberries are also gluten-free.
Do I need to add any other ingredients when stuffing my balls with?
Modify this recipe however you see fit, whether that is by adding chopped nuts such as pecans for crunch and cooked sausage for flavor, or playing around with different herbs like rosemary and sage.
Conclusion
Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls are an easy, delicious holiday-season dish that will bring festive charm to any meal. Their combination of succulent turkey meat, tart cranberries, and delicious stuffing creates the ideal dish to serve at parties as main or side courses, with this simple recipe you’re sure to produce perfect stuffing dough balls everyone will be sure to love – while answering any queries they might have regarding its creation!
As we approach the holidays, give these stuffing balls a try – you are sure to delight your guests and family by serving this delectable dish!
