This turkey meatball recipe is very easy to make in the instant pot. Paired with a lemon cream sauce, these meatballs will convert anyone who avoids turkey this Thanksgiving season. Combined with some hearty fall cauliflower and leeks and a few delicious seasonings, you can have this freezer-friendly recipe for the whole family ready for the family in no time.
If you love ground turkey recipes, don’t miss our Turkey Pesto Bowl or Garlic and Rosemary Boneless Turkey Breast in the Instant Pot or Oven
Ingredients
The leeks are key in this lemon cream sauce. They have a delicious mild sweet onion flavour and really delicious texture. I love dill with turkey as well. The lemon at the end is not to be skipped, too. It lightens up this hearty fall dish.
- ground turkey
- bread crumbs or ground almonds if keto
- chives
- dill
- fennel seeds
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- white pepper
- olive oil
- cauliflower
- leeks
- bell pepper
- butter
- corn starch
- milk
- lemon
- salt and pepper
Make Turkey Meatballs
Add turkey with breadcrumbs, chives, dill, fennel, red pepper, salt, white pepper. Form into 1 1/2″ balls and set aside.
Start the Leek Sauce
Add butter to the instant pot and saute the leeks until softened. A little salt helps do this. After about 3 minutes, add sliced bell pepper. This adds a beautiful punch of colour. Remove it from the Instant Pot and set it aside.
Cook the Meatballs
Turn off the saute setting on the Instant Pot. Pour in the milk and carefully place the meatballs into the milk. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes and release pressure. Check to see if your meatballs are cooked to at least 165F. Carefully remove them with a slotted spoon. Add the cauliflower to the milk and set the Instant Pot to saute once more. Simmer the cauliflower until just cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Whisk corn starch with lemon juice and a bit of salt and pepper. Stir the mixture into the instant pot, add the leeks back in and simmer until thick. Then you’re ready to pour that delicious veggie-filled lemon cream sauce over your Instant Pot meatballs!
Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs with Cauliflower in Cream Sauce
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Bamboo Spurtle
- Large Cookie Scoop for Meatballs (optional)
Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs or ground almonds if keto
- 1 tbsp chives minced plus more for garnish
- 1 tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
Sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 leeks green part and white end removed, sliced in half, washed thoroughly, and sliced into ½" pieces
- 1 orange bell pepper de-seeded and sliced thin
- 2 cup whole milk
- ½ head cauliflower core removed and florets cut
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix all of the turkey meatball ingredients together until just combined. Roll into 1 ½" meatballs and set aside.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting on normal. Add in butter for leek sauce. Once melted, saute leeks for about 3 minutes or until softened. Sprinkle with a little salt.
- Add in sliced pepper and saute for 1 minute. Remove leeks and pepper from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- Turn instant pot saute setting off. Pour in milk. Carefully place the meatballs in trying to not overlap them as much as possible.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Instant release pressure.
- Meanwhile, whisk together lemon juice, corn starch, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper.
- Remove meatballs from milk with a slotted spoon leaving milk behind. To ensure they are cooked, the internal temperature should be at least 165F.
- Turn instant pot back onto saute setting on normal. Add in cauliflower and simmer until slightly cooked through about 3-5 minutes.
- Re-stir lemon mixture and swirl into the simmering milk. Stir.
- Add back in the leek mixture and stir. Taste for seasoning adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.
- Pour over meatballs and serve garnished with chives.
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