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Serving bowl filled with turkey meatballs in a creamy sauce.

Turkey Meatballs in Creamy Dairy-Free Sauce

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: turkey meatballs in creamy dairy-free sauce, ground turkey
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 264kcal
Author: Laureen King
This flavorful recipe for turkey meatballs in a creamy dairy-free sauce makes a nutritious and healthy dinner option.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the meatballs

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ cup onion finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest grated
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped (not use stems)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce

  • 1 cup chicken broth less sodium
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • In a small bowl combine the Panko breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons of almond milk.
  • Using a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  • Sauté the onions until soft, about 3 minutes, add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Burnt garlic will taste awful and bitter.
  • In a large bowl combine the softened breadcrumbs, sautéed onions, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
  • Add the ground turkey and toss together. Use your hand and don't over-mix.
  • Roll into meatballs slightly smaller than a golf ball. This recipe should make about 16 meatballs.
  • In the same skillet you used to sauté the onions and garlic, heat a bit more olive oil if necessary.
  • Add the meatballs and cook on all sides until done. About 15 minutes or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165º F. Use a spatula to turn the meatballs carefully so they don’t break apart.
  • optional: use the skillet to sear the meatballs on all sides, then transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to finish cooking. Bake 350º F until done (165º F), about 13 minutes).
  • Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside. (keep warm)
  • Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the skillet and heat until boiling. Make sure to scrape all those flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Reduce to medium heat and whisk in 1 cup almond milk.
  • Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and dried basil.
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • To thicken the sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon flour and ¼ cup of chicken broth until smooth. Gradually add the flour slurry to the simmering sauce, whisking continually until the cream sauce thickens.
  • Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce.
  • Simmer the turkey meatballs and sauce on low heat for an additional 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to fully coat the meatballs with sauce.
  • Serve with a side dish such as noodles, rice, or potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 707mg | Potassium: 735mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 429IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 3mg