Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze

This herby, savoury-sweet dish is basically Thanksgiving in meatball form. With a sweet and tangy glaze made with cranberry sauce and thyme- and sage-speckled turkey meatballs, all you need is a scoop of fluffy mashed potatoes for cozy, autumnal bliss. Here are some tips for how to make them:

Meatballs:
1 large egg
3 Tbsp. yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. whole-fat Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 tsp. fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 lb (94% lean) ground turkey
½ cup panko breadcrumbs

Cranberry Glaze and Assembly:
1 cup canned or homemade cranberry sauce
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 tsp. orange zest, finely grated
¼ tsp. sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

To Serve:
mashed potatoes

For the Meatballs:
Into a large bowl, crack egg and beat with a fork until blended. Add onion, yogurt, thyme, sage, Worcestershire, salt and pepper and beat with fork to combine. Add turkey and breadcrumbs and mix with clean hands until combined.

Form turkey mixture into Tbsp. sized balls and transfer to a large plate. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes.

For the Cranberry Glaze and Assembly:
In a medium bowl, whisk cranberry sauce, vinegar, syrup, mustard, orange zest, salt and a few grinds of pepper.

In a high-sided 12" cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Cook meatballs until bottom is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn meatballs and continue to cook until other side is browned, about 3 minutes more.

Add sauce and gently stir meatballs until coated in sauce. Let simmer until sauce is thickened and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of meatballs registers 165°F, 3-5 minutes more.

Divide mashed potatoes among plates. Spoon meatballs and sauce over.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook's Notes:

• Why the Greek yogurt? Lean ground turkey is susceptible to over-cooking and dryness. To combat this, we love using some rich dairy (like the ricotta in these turkey meatballs) to add moisture for super-juicy meatballs that taste just as indulgent as their beef counterparts.
• What's the difference between using canned and homemade cranberry sauce? Either will be delicious. But if you find yourself with extra homemade cranberry sauce around the holidays, definitely put it to use here. Homemade sauce will be brighter in colour and will likely have more texture than the canned stuff. It also tends to be more tart, so taste your sauce as you go and add more maple syrup if necessary.
• Can you make this dish ahead? Both the sauce and the meatballs can be semi-prepared in advance. The meatball mixture can be mixed and formed into balls, then loosely covered and refrigerated up to overnight. The sauce can also be prepared and stored, covered and refrigerated up to overnight.