Turkey Meatballs Pumpkin Sauce (Printable)

Tender turkey meatballs bathed in a rich, aromatic pumpkin sage sauce for comforting meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Turkey Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 large egg
03 - ½ cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free optional)
04 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp black pepper
09 - 2 tbsp milk

→ Pumpkin Sage Sauce

10 - 1 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1¾ cups pumpkin purée (canned or homemade)
14 - 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
15 - ½ cup heavy cream
16 - 1½ tsp fresh sage, finely chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
17 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
18 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
19 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk until just combined without overworking.
03 - Shape mixture into 16–18 small meatballs and arrange evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake meatballs for 15–18 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
05 - While meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3–4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
06 - Add pumpkin purée, broth, heavy cream, sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine and simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
07 - Stir grated Parmesan into the sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Add baked meatballs to the sauce and simmer together for 2–3 minutes to meld flavors and heat through.
09 - Serve hot, optionally garnished with extra sage or Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Easy comforting dish
  • Perfect for fall or cozy evenings
02 -
  • Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to keep this dish gluten-free.
  • For dairy-free, substitute coconut cream and omit Parmesan cheese.
03 -
  • Do not overwork the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
  • Simmer sauce gently to prevent curdling of cream.
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