Meatballs and Gravy
Meatballs and Gravy is a classic comfort food made with ground turkey, gluten free breadcrumbs, and fresh parsley in a creamy gravy over mashed potatoes, ready in under 60 minutes!
Meatballs and Gravy is a big hit at my dinner table, because it’s the ultimate comfort food served in a savory creamy sauce. My family prefers using ground turkey for homemade meatballs, but you can use ground beef or pork if you’d prefer something closer to Italian meatballs.
Serve this dish over mashed potatoes, rice, or just by itself with some fresh parsley and a side salad. It’ll be your new favorite weeknight dinner!
If you’re looking for some more great dinner ideas, check out this Dutch Oven Chicken Breast, Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken, or my favorite Sausage and Potato Soup!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Classic but Lighter. This recipe is my twist on a classic comfort food, but instead of using beef and pork, I opted for a leaner ground turkey, letting the gravy be the indulgent part.
Gluten Free. We’re using 100% gluten free ingredients, so you can be confident your dish is good to go!
Tender and Juicy Meatballs. Finishing the meatballs in the gravy results in incredibly tender meatballs that practically melt in your mouth!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ground Turkey. I like to use ground turkey because it’s on the leaner side, but you can also use lean ground beef, or a combination of lean ground beef and ground pork for a more traditional meatball.
Bread Crumbs. I’m using plain gluten free breadcrumbs, which help hold the meatballs together. We’re already adding spices in the meat mixture and in the gravy, so I don’t get the seasoned ones.
If you’re not on a gluten free diet, you can use the same amount of normal breadcrumbs.
Gluten Free Flour. This is crucial for thickening the gravy. I use a 1-to-1 gluten free flour, so if you’re not gluten free you can substitute 1-to-1 with regular flour.
Chicken Stock. This is to add flavor to the gravy. Chicken broth will also work, but will be a little less flavorful than chicken stock. You can also use vegetable broth.
If you use ground beef for your meatballs, then beef broth or beef stock will work well.
Half and Half. A little bit of half and half or heavy cream helps add a really nice creamy texture to the gravy. You can also use regular milk, heavy whipping cream, or sour cream if that’s what you have.
Eggs. This acts as a binding agent, helping to hold the meatballs together.
Parmesan. I like to add some savory notes to the meatballs with a little bit of parmesan.
Fresh Parsley. This adds a nice fresh flavor, and I also use some to garnish the dish before serving. If you don’t have fresh parsley, you can also use dried parsley. Use 1 teaspoon dried parsley per tablespoon of fresh parsley in a recipe.
Worcestershire Sauce. This adds a really nice savory flavor to the gravy. This ingredient can be gluten free and non-gluten free depending on the brand, so pay attention to which one you buy.
Olive oil. I brown my meatballs in extra virgin olive oil, but you can also use canola oil or avocado oil.
Butter. I always use unsalted butter, because I like to add the salt later myself. The butter mixes with the flour to form a roux, which is going to thicken the gravy once you add the broth and cream.
Spices. I’m using a spice mixture in the meatballs that adds a ton of flavor, including garlic powder, oregano, dried mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper. You can use a teaspoon of Italian Seasoning if you want to make it easier.
For the gravy, I’ve also added onion powder, dried thyme, and sage for a nice savory flavor.
Kitchen Tools
For these turkey meatballs and gravy, you’ll need a large deep skillet, tongs, a plate, and a whisk.
How to Make Meatballs and Gravy
Time needed: 50 minutes
- Mix the ingredients together.
In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatballs (except for the olive oil). Use your hands to mix everything together until well combined and all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed. Using your hands or an ice cream scoop, form meatballs into 1-2″ balls, pressing gently to keep everything together.
- Brown the meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the raw meatballs. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may have to brown the meatballs in batches. Add more olive oil as-needed. Brown meatballs for 2-3 minutes on each side, very gently rolling them until all sides are seared. Remove the meatballs onto a plate and set aside.
- Make the gravy.
Melt the butter in the skillet on medium-high heat, scraping up any pieces left on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until the flour mixture starts to turn brown and has a slightly nutty aroma. Whisk in the broth, spices, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk in the half and half, and add the meatballs back into the pan.
- Finish the meatballs.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meatballs are completely cooked through and the gravy has thickened. Season with salt and pepper as-needed. Top with the remaining fresh parsley for garnish before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Make meatballs and gravy spicy by adding a dash of cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes.
- You can use lean ground beef or ground pork for the meatballs instead of turkey. This recipe would also work well with ground sausage.
- If you don’t want to work with the skillet, or you just have busy weeknights, you can cut down on time by cooking the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper first.
Recipe Tip! Try refrigerating the meatballs before cooking for 20-30 minutes. This will help them keep their shape when browning them in the skillet!
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend serving this dish over mashed potatoes or rice. I also like to include a vegetable side dish, and these would go perfectly with broccolini or a salad on the side. You can also serve meatballs and gravy over gluten free pasta, with peas or spinach on the side.
If your gravy turned out too thin, first make sure you’ve cooked it long enough. It will take 8-10 minutes for the gravy to really start to thicken. If you’ve already cooked it the appropriate amount of time, you can still thicken it with cornstarch.
Whisk a tablespoon cornstarch into the cold half and half, then slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the gravy. As the cornstarch slurry thickens, it will also thicken the gravy with it. This will be easier if you remove the meatballs first, then add them back in after the cornstarch slurry is evenly mixed in.
Recipe Tip! Use a cookie scoop to help make sure your meatballs are all the same size, and to cut down on the prep time! Keeping the meatballs uniform will help them cook more evenly.
More Dinner Recipes
Storage
Refrigerate leftover meatballs in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freeze leftover meatballs in a freezer-safe container for 1-2 months. Defrost the frozen meatballs in the refrigerator the night before. Reheat in a skillet and whisk a splash of extra cream into the gravy as-needed to help bring back some of the creamy texture.
Cooking Tips
- The meatballs may stick to the pan a little bit, but those bits on the bottom of the pan will add a lot of flavor to the gravy. Don’t run the heat too high, to prevent burning. Use a spatula to scrape everything up and include the browned pieces when you make the roux.
- If your meatballs are losing their shape, try using a spoon to move them around when browning.
- If you want to freeze the meatballs to save time for next time, they have to be fully cooked through before doing so. This recipe finishes cooking the meatballs in the gravy, so I would recommend finishing them in the oven instead.
- The cook time can vary depending on the size of the meatballs. Larger balls will take longer to cook, while smaller balls will cook faster. Keep them a uniform size, so they all finish cooking at the same time.
- You want to use a deep skillet because after browning the meatballs, you’re going to make the gravy right in the skillet and need room to do so.
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!
Meatballs and Gravy
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 cup gluten free bread crumbs, plain
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the Gravy
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons gluten free all-purpose flour, 1:1
- 2 cups chicken broth, gluten free
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, gluten free
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Equipment
- 1 deep skillet
- 1 set of tongs
- 1 plate
- 1 Whisk
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatballs (except for the olive oil). Use your hands to mix everything together until well combined. Form meatballs into 1-2" balls, pressing gently to keep everything together.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the meatballs. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may have to brown the meatballs in batches. Add more olive oil as-needed.
- Brown meatballs for 2-3 minutes on each side, very gently rolling them until all sides are seared. Remove the meatballs onto a plate and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the skillet on medium-high heat, scraping up any pieces left on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until the flour mixture starts to turn brown and has a slightly nutty aroma.
- Whisk in the broth, spices, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk in the half and half, then add the meatballs back into the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meatballs are completely cooked through and the gravy has thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper as-needed. Top with the remaining fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- The meatballs may stick to the pan a little bit, but those bits on the bottom of the pan will add a lot of flavor to the gravy. Use a spatula to scrape everything up and include the pieces when you make the roux.
- If your meatballs are losing their shape, try using a spoon to move them around when browning.
- The cook time can vary depending on the size of the meatballs. Keep them a uniform size, so they all finish cooking at the same time. Use a cookie scoop to help make sure your meatballs are all the same size.
- You want to use a deep skillet because after browning the meatballs, you’re going to make the gravy right in the skillet and need room to do so.
Nutrition
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Looks delicious