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Home » Dinner » Turkey Meatballs with Parmesan Cream Sauce

Turkey Meatballs with Parmesan Cream Sauce

Created: February 1, 2023 Updated: February 3, 2023 by lyuba 11 Comments

15.7K shares
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These Turkey Meatballs with Parmesan Cream Sauce is so rich and delicious, it’s reminiscent of an Alfredo dish. Juicy meatballs and rich, creamy sauce pair together like a dream to create a comforting dinner that you can serve over pasta, mashed potatoes, and so many other side dishes.

If you enjoy turkey recipes, try our popular Turkey Burgers, Sweet Thai Chili Meatballs, and Turkey Chili.

scooping out some turkey meatballs from the bowl.

Turkey Meatballs with Parmesan Sauce

If you’re an Alfredo fanatic like I am, this recipe is going to be right up your alley! These turkey meatballs are juicy made flavorful with Italian-inspired ingredients like garlic, parsley, and freshly grated parmesan. But the best part about them is this parmesan cream sauce that turn the whole dish into an Alfredo-style recipe!

I do want to note that even though there are very similar ingredients in this recipe to my Garlic Parmesan Turkey Meatballs, the flavor profile is actually very different. This recipe tastes just like an alfredo dish, which is very exciting to me! The parmesan sauce here is what really seals the deal. It’s pretty simple and has no unnecessary frills – just all of the classic flavors you’re craving in a creamy sauce.

I like to serve the meatballs over pasta, that way I can use the pasta to help me grab every bit of sauce. Trust me, you won’t want any of it going to waste! You can also serve this dish over mashed potatoes, but I find that the alfredo flavor palate plates the best with pasta. Feel free to also get creative with your choice of side dish, since this creamy, filling entrée is versatile enough to go well with a variety of sides!

ingredients for turkey meatballs in parmesan sauce on the board.

Ingredient Notes:

For the meatballs:

  • Lean Ground Turkey – I recommend “lean” ground turkey, not “extra lean.”
  • Eggs
  • Yellow Onion
  • Garlic – for the best flavor, always use fresh garlic.
  • Breadcrumbs – use plain bread crumbs or gluten free bread crumbs if needed.
  • Parmesan – Freshly grated parmesan is SO much better to use in meatballs than pre-shredded! The flavor and consistency are drastically different.
  • Parsley – Fresh minced parsley adds just the right pop of color and bright flavor.
  • Seasonings – A pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper is all you need.

For the creamy parmesan sauce:

  • Heavy Whipping Cream – this is your best option for the rich and creamy sauce. You can use half and half but it will not be a rich and would be a little thinner.
  • Parmesan – fresh grated parmesan will be the best choice for a smooth and flavorful sauce.
  • Butter – use unsalted to control the amount of sodium.
  • All-Purpose Flour – This is used to thicken the sauce. If needed, use gluten free all-purpose flour.
  • Parsley
  • Salt

Cooking Instructions:

ingredients for the meatballs in a metal bowl.
mixed mixture for turkey meatballs in the bowl.
turkey meatball mixture in a scoop.
rolled turkey meatballs on the baking sheet.

Roll the meatballs.

Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and make sure everything is incorporated well.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop the meat mixture. A cookie scoop helps to ensure that every meatball is the exact same size and cooks through evenly.

Grease your hands with some cooking spray, then roll the meatballs.

meatballs in the cooking pan starting to cook.
cooking turkey meatballs in the cooking pan.

Cook the meatballs.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add oil.

Add the rolled meatballs to the pan.

Cook the meatballs over medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side to sear them. Once seared, lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook for 10-15 minutes.

When the meatballs are fully cooked, remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula, leaving the cooking juices still in the pan.

whisking in flour into butter and meatball juices.
adding grated parmesan to cream sauce.
stirring parmesan cream sauce in the pan.
pouring parmesan cream sauce over the meatballs.

Make the parmesan sauce.

Make sure all of your sauce ingredients are measured accurately and ready to be used! This is a quick moving recipe.

Add butter to the same pan you just cooked the meatballs in. The heat should still be medium-low.

Whisk in the flour until it’s smoothly mixed in. Whisk in the heavy cream, and continue to whisk to keep everything smooth.

Once the cream is warmed through and incorporated, add in the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

Stir the sauce for a few minutes, until all of the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened.

Stir in the parsley and remove from heat.

closeup creamy parmesan turkey meatballs in the bowl.

Storing and Reheating:

Feel free to store the turkey meatballs and the sauce together if you wish and reheat them together as well. Store both in an airtight food storage container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, it should all stay good for up to 4 days.

To reheat the meatballs and sauce, you can do so in the microwave, but in a 30-40 second increments so you don’t scald the sauce. You can also reheat both in a sauce pot over medium-low heat. If you use a sauce pot on your stove-top to reheat them, I recommend cutting the meatballs in half and covering the pot with a lid.

top view of turkey meatballs in creamy sauce.

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

top view of turkey meatballs in creamy sauce.

Turkey Meatballs with Parmesan Cream Sauce

Turkey Meatballs with Parmesan Cream Sauce is so rich and delicious, it's reminiscent of an Alfredo dish.
4 from 1 vote
Print SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: meatballs, parmesan, turkey meatballs
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 Makes about 35 meatballs
Calories: 610kcal
Author: lyuba

Ingredients

Turkey Meatballs:

  • 2 lb lean ground turkey
  • 2 egg
  • 1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs*
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp minced parsley
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp oil for cooking

Parmesan Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp all purpose flour*
  • 1 tbsp minced parsley
  • salt to taste
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Meatballs:

  • In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredient for the meatballs (not the cooking oil of course) and mix until all evenly combined.
  • Use a cookie scoop to get an even amount of meat mixture so the meatballs are all the same. I like to use #40 cookie scoop. (If you don't have a scoop, just roll the meatballs freehand but try to get them the same size.)
    Tip: Grease your hands with some cooking spray so the meat mixture doesn't stick while rolling the meatballs.
  • Preheat a large cooking pan over medium heat and add the oil.
  • Roll all the meatballs before adding them to the pan. Once all the meatballs are rolled, add them to the preheated pan. 
  • Cook the meatballs over medium heat for about 2 minutes to sear them and flip every meatball. Cook them on the other side for another minute or so and lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the meatballs and cook about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size. (To check for doneness, you can cut into one of the meatballs. Pick the biggest one if you free-rolled without a scoop.)
  • When meatballs are done, take them out of the pan but leave the cooking juices in it.

Parmesan sauce:

  • Make sure all of your ingredients are measured and ready to go.
  • In the same pan where you cooked the meatballs, still over medium-low heat, add butter and let it melt.
  • Sprinkle flour and whisk well, until it's smoothly mixed with meatballs juices and melted butter. Keep slowly whisking as you slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream. Keep whisking to incorporate everything well.
  • Once the cream is heated through, add in fresh grated parmesan cheese, some salt, and some pepper. (Taste to make sure it how you like it.) Let it cook and you slowly and gently stir for a few minutes, until all cheese is melted and sauce is thickened.
  • Stir in parsley and take off heat.
  • Top meatballs with sauce and serve!!
  • These meatballs are great with just about any side, from broccoli to rice and roasted potatoes! It's especially great over pasta.
    If you love a very sauce pasta dish, feel free to double the sauce ingredients to make more sauce!

Notes

*Gluten Free substitution: to make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free bread crumbs in the meatballs and gluten free all-purpose flour in the sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 232mg | Sodium: 582mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1472IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 372mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles
collage of closeup meatball in cream sauce with title.

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

15.7K shares

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Free, Italian, Sauce, Turkey Tagged With: cream sauce, meatballs, turkey

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Comments

  1. Nicole says

    August 1, 2014 at 12:01 pm

    I love a good meatball! Especially when it is smothered with cheese 😀

    Reply
    • lyuba says

      August 9, 2014 at 8:55 am

      Haha, So true!! Cheesy sauce makes everything better 🙂
      Thank you, Nicole!

      Reply
  2. Bri | Bites of Bri says

    August 2, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    Congrats! Turkey meatballs are a personal favorite so I cannot wait to try these. Meatballs make such a great weeknight meal and the leftovers are great for lunch or on pizza for dinner the next night 🙂

    Reply
    • lyuba says

      August 9, 2014 at 8:56 am

      Thank you! I hope you give them a try, Bri!! (Pizza with meatballs sounds awesome!)

      Reply
  3. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says

    August 2, 2014 at 9:47 pm

    I am a meat ball nut. Great sauce. I pinned it and the other meatball suggestions. Awesome!

    Reply
    • lyuba says

      August 9, 2014 at 8:57 am

      Haha, thank you so much, Carol!

      Reply
  4. Artist Elaine says

    November 9, 2014 at 4:44 am

    This sounds delicious! The only problem I see is that there is no “save” to click on this recipe, even though it is mentioned above the recipe. I would really like to save it…

    Reply
  5. Jovy Beee says

    December 3, 2014 at 6:46 am

    Congratulations on your graduation! This recipe looks fantastic and I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing it. (I found it on Pinterest.)

    Reply
    • lyuba says

      December 3, 2014 at 9:29 am

      Thank you so much 🙂
      I hope you like the meatballs!

      Reply
  6. Samantha says

    September 11, 2021 at 5:54 pm

    4 stars
    The sauce tastes amazing!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      September 13, 2021 at 7:27 pm

      Thanks, Samantha!

      Reply

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Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

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