Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs with Orange Cranberry Gravy Recipe

When I have parties during the holiday season I like to keep things as simple as possible. Instead of inviting folks over for a high-stress, fancy-schmancy sit down dinner, I throw cocktail parties. There are lots of advantages to this. They are WAY less stressful, easier to pull off, you can have more people, and by putting out platters of tidbits to eat and some beverages, you have more time to mingle and actually stand a chance of enjoying your party!

I make a few simple things and then supplement with items I can pick up at the store such as fruit, cheeses, olives, and fancy deli meats or salami. I make a signature cocktail, stock up the bar with gluten free beer, wine and water (sparkling and still), turn on some music and that’s it.  I have even been known to use good quality, disposable plates and flatware (but I always use real glasses).

I don’t spend all day in the kitchen and at the end of the night I am not faced with a ton of dishes to wash. And I find people enjoy themselves more than when they were seated at a formal dinner table as they get to talk to everyone (or not, as the case might be) and the whole evening just has a relaxed, festive mood.

If you are looking for a cocktail party appetizer, or simple weeknight meal for that matter, this holiday season, I have a suggestion for you – Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs with Orange Cranberry Gravy. All the flavors of a festive holiday meal in cute, bite sized balls of yumminess – turkey with cranberries in a delicious orange sauce thanks to San-J’s Gluten-Free Orange Sauce.

So go ahead, deck your halls, shop ’til you drop, wrap your gifts with love and care but when it comes to parties – make it easy on yourself. You and your friends will enjoy it more – trust me!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs with Orange Cranberry Gravy Recipe

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 Servings

Author: Gluten Free & More

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
• ▢ ¼ cup parsley , minced
• ▢ 1 ½ cups gluten free chicken stock – use divided
• ▢ 1 ¼ pounds ground turkey
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 - 12 ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries (about 2 ½ cups)
• ▢ 1 cup San-J Orange Sauce
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• ▢
  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• ▢
  Combine the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion flakes, parsley and ½ cup chicken stock in a large mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the turkey and mix with hands until thoroughly combined. Shape into 2 inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the meatballs until browned all over, about 6 minutes. Place browned meatballs on a baking sheet and bake in oven until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• ▢
  Add the cranberries to the skillet the meatballs were browned in along with the remaining cup of chicken stock, San-J Orange Sauce and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until the cranberries pop and the sauce is reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Add the meatballs to the gravy and serve.

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