Turkey Meatballs in a sauce (Tefteli)
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6 cups
 
Ingredients
  • Turkey Meatballs: (around 13 if 1 inch)
  • • Ground Turkey – 400 grams
  • • Cooked white rice – 120 grams (cool it to room temperature)
  • • Large egg – 1
  • • Onion (red/white) – ½ cup (finely chopped)
  • • Garlic – 2 cloves (finely chopped)
  • • Salt – ½ tsp
  • • Black Pepper powder – ¼ tsp
  • • Paprika – ¼ tsp
  • • Flour – ½ cup (to pat)
  • • Extra light Olive Oil – 2.5 tbsp
  • Sauce:
  • • Butter – 1 tbsp
  • • Flour – 1.5 tbsp
  • • Water – 2 cups (veg or poultry broth can be used too)
  • • Sour cream – ¼ cup (or plain greek yogurt)
  • • Paprika – ½ tsp
  • • Salt – ½ tsp
  • • Black Pepper powder – ½ tsp
  • • Basil – 1 tbsp (freshly chopped to garnish)
Instructions
  1. Turkey meatballs:
  2. In a bowl, combine ground turkey, rice, egg, finely chopped onion, finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper powder and paprika. Mix well. Roll the combined meat into 1 to 1 ½ inch balls (even-sized balls), pat/roll in the flour and set aside.
  3. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add 2.5 tbsp of oil. Add the meatballs and cook each side for 7 mins until browned and cooked through. You can check using a thermometer (165F) as mentioned above in my notes. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
  4. Sauce:
  5. In the same skillet, add 1.5 tbsp of butter, then whisk in 2 tbsp of flour and continue whisking until golden in color. Whisk in 2 cups of water or broth and stir until it starts to thicken. Add sour cream with paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well.
  6. Add the turkey meatballs.
  7. Bring sauce to a simmer and stir until it thickens to coat the meatballs. Once the meatballs are warmed up, remove them from heat and garnish with chopped basil. (Remember that the sauce thickens more when it cools.)
Recipe by Relish The Bite at https://www.relishthebite.com/turkey-meatballs-in-a-sauce-tefteli/