Instant Pot Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs with boxed stuffing mix are a low-effort dinner with the taste of a Thanksgiving feast. Soak a box of stuffing mix with some milk, mix in ground turkey, minced onion, and dried cranberries, and form that into meatballs. Pressure cook the meatballs, then serve with the pot liquid. Quick and easy!
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This recipe was a "why didn't I think of that?" moment, inspired by The Secret to Great Turkey Meatballs? Stuffing Mix in Bon Appétit magazine. Of course the right way to make juicy turkey meatballs is to use the Italian trick of a panade - bread crumbs soaked in milk - mixed into the meat. But why use plain bread when you can use stuffing mix and lean into a turkey and stuffing theme? And, then, why not mix in some dried cranberries as well?
Once I formed the meatballs, I continued with my Instant Pot Meatball technique, the one I used in many recipes (like my Instant Pot Meatballs with Tomato Sauce, Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs, or Instant Pot Kofta Meatballs.) It worked great. I mean, what's better than turkey and stuffing rolled into one?
Ingredients
- 6oz box stuffing mix (preferably Sage or Turkey stuffing mix)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small onion, finely minced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 packet (about 2 ½ teaspoons) unflavored gelatin (optional)
- 1 cup water (or chicken broth or turkey broth)
How to make Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs
Shape the meatballs
Put the stuffing mix in a large bowl and stir in the milk. Let the stuffing sit for 5 minutes to absorb the milk. Add the ground turkey, sprinkle the onion, cranberries, (optional) gelatin, and fine sea salt over the meat, and add the egg. Mix until everything is combined, then keep mixing for a couple of minutes, really working the meatballs - this will help them hold their shape. Form the turkey mix into 12 golf-ball-sized meatballs, each about 2 inches in diameter.
Meatballs in the pot
Put the meatballs into an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, trying for a single layer of meatballs. (I usually end up with one that has to sit on top of the others in a 6 quart pot). Pour the broth (or water) over the meatballs.
Pressure Cook for 15 minutes with a Natural Release
Lock the lid and pressure cook at high pressure for 15 minutes (Use "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode in an Instant Pot) or for 13 minutes if using a stovetop pressure cooker. Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 minutes. (If you're in a hurry, let the pressure come down for 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.)
Serve
Unlock the lid on the pressure cooker. Scoop the meatballs out of the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl for serving. Strain the liquid in the pot and serve it with the meatballs as a pan sauce. Enjoy!
Substitutions
- Lean ground turkey: I prefer regular ground turkey for this recipe - 85% lean, 15% fat. But, the stuffing panade adds moisture, which helps lean turkey - 93% lean, 7% fat - from making too dry of meatballs. So, use whichever you prefer, regular or lean.
- Leftover homemade stuffing: You can use leftover cooked stuffing in this recipe. Mix 6 ounces of leftover stuffing with ½ cup of milk (it is already wet), and let it absorb the milk. If the stuffing has big chunks of bread, break it up with your fingers, mashing the stuffing into a smoothish paste before adding the turkey. And, if the stuffing already has onions, skip them.
Equipment
A 6-quart pressure cooker or larger; this recipe actually works better in an 8-quart pressure cooker because the extra width allows you to fit all the meatballs in a single layer.
Scaling
This recipe can be doubled or halved. The cooking time does not change; it takes the same time to cook a single meatball, no matter how many are in the pot.
Make ahead frozen meatballs
You can mix and shape the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them. Then, when it is time to cook, put the frozen meatballs straight into the pressure cooker. (There is no need for thawing.) Add five minutes to the pressure cooking time for frozen meatballs-pressure cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.
Leftovers
Meatballs make good leftovers. They can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for a few months.
Tips and Tricks
Stuffing Panade
The big trick to this recipe is using a panade, the Italian mix of milk and bread, to help keep the meatballs tender. Stuffing mix works perfectly as the bread, and brings a lot of flavor too.
Why add gelatin to meatballs?
This is another trick I learned from Kenji Alt: If you add a packet of unflavored gelatin to meatballs, they become even moister and juicy. You can skip this if you want, and the meatballs will still be fantastic, but they are even juicier with the added gelatin.
Shaping meatballs
A quick way to shape meatballs is with a large cookie scoop. My large cookie scoop makes 2-inch diameter meatballs, the size I want for this recipe.
What to Serve with Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs
I love these turkey meatballs with potatoes or rice. If you have a second Instant Pot, try my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe or Pressure Cooker White Rice - Instant Pot Recipe. I also love them with a green vegetable, like my Cast Iron Brussels Sprouts Sauté or Instant Pot Collard Greens.
Print
Instant Pot Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: A dozen meatballs
Description
Instant Pot Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs with boxed stuffing mix are a low-effort dinner with the taste of a Thanksgiving feast. Soak a box of stuffing mix with some milk, mix in ground turkey, minced onion, and dried cranberries, and form that into meatballs. Pressure cook the meatballs, then serve with the pot liquid. Quick and easy!
Ingredients
- 6oz box stuffing mix (preferably Savory Herbs or Turkey stuffing mix)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small onion, finely minced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 packet (about 2 ½ teaspoons) unflavored gelatin (optional)
- 1 cup water (or chicken broth or turkey broth)
Instructions
- Shape the meatballs: Put the stuffing mix in a large bowl and stir in the milk. Let the stuffing sit for 5 minutes to absorb the milk. Add the ground turkey, sprinkle the onion, cranberries, (optional) gelatin, and fine sea salt over the meat, and add the egg. Mix until everything is combined, then keep mixing for a couple of minutes, really working the meatballs - this will help them hold their shape. Form the turkey mix into 12 golf-ball-sized meatballs, each about 2 inches in diameter.
- Meatballs in the pot: Put the meatballs into an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, trying for a single layer of meatballs. (I usually end up with one that has to sit on top of the others in a 6 quart pot). Pour the broth (or water) over the meatballs.
- Pressure Cook for 15 minutes with a Natural Release: Lock the lid and pressure cook at high pressure for 15 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker (Use "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode in an Instant Pot) or for 13 minutes if using a stovetop pressure cooker. Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 minutes. (If you're in a hurry, let the pressure come down for 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.)
- Serve: Unlock the lid on the pressure cooker. Scoop the meatballs out of the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl for serving. Strain the liquid in the pot and serve it with the meatballs as a pan sauce. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Weeknight Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs
- Calories: 441
- Sugar: 22.7 g
- Sodium: 1050.9 mg
- Fat: 11.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Protein: 32.9 g
- Cholesterol: 127.7 mg
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Kellie says
This was good! I had half a pound of turkey and half of sweet Italian sausage, so I used that combo.
Angela E says
I made this recipe tonight, and it is currently in the pressure cooker. I did not see how to incorporate the gelatin into the meatballs in the directions. I added the gelatin to 3 tablespoons of water to dissolve for a few minutes and then heated it to make sure it dissolved. Then I added it to the bread/egg mixture prior to adding the ground turkey. I hope this was a correct interpretation 🤔
Mike Vrobel says
I apologize, the recipe is updated with the gelatin in the instructions.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Try it for a taste of Fall turkey any time of year!