Turkey Meatballs in Creamy Dairy-Free Sauce
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 264kcal
This flavorful recipe for turkey meatballs in a creamy dairy-free sauce makes a nutritious and healthy dinner option.
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Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped (not use stems)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth less sodium
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tbsp 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 1/4 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