• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tidbits-Marci.com

Inspiration for Tasty Living

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Work with me
    • Media Kit
    • Disclosure and Policy
  • Recipes Index
  • Instant Pot Basics
  • Shop
  • Contact
You are at Home and DIY
Home and DIY
Food and recipes
You are at Home and DIY

You are here: Home / Recipes by Category / Entrees/Main Dishes / Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce

Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce

December 21, 2018

Last modified on October 25th, 2021

Jump To RecipePrint Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. I only recommend items I love and have had a positive experience with. Thank you!

272 shares
FREE EMAIL BONUS
5 Expert Instant Pot Tricks
HOW TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY WITH THE INSTANT POT
Turkey Meatballs on a white plate with cranberry sauce

Healthy Turkey Meatballs that taste like the holidays, but are ready in less than twenty minutes.  Serve with a side of Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce for an absolute memorable dinner or appetizer.


Turkey Meatballs on a white plate with cranberry sauce

What to do when you're craving the flavors of the holidays, but you're in a lazy, comfy pants wearing, Crio Bru drinking, sittin' by the fire, kind of mood?  Welp, you bust out some five minute Turkey and Sage Meatballs and pull out a bag of Cranberry Sauce from the freezer.  Dinner is done before you even have a chance to finish your last sip of Crio.  Are you on board?

Want to kick it up an extra notch?  Take an extra five minutes to fry up some fresh sage leaves to serve alongside the meatballs and dice up a jalapeno to mix into your thawed cranberry sauce and suddenly you're serious competition to any 5 star restaurant.

Meatballs in the pressure cooker are a dream come true!  They are juicy, tender, and won't splatter a speck of grease all over your stove top.  Yes, you're missing out on the browned crust you get from frying them, but once you taste these flavorful balls of joy, you won't care.

Turkey Meatballs on a white plate with cranberry sauce

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE HEALTHY TURKEY MEATBALLS

  • Since they're not cooked in a pan of oil, you can eat 10.  Heck you could eat the whole batch and still feel pretty dang awesome
  • No babysitting meatballs on the stove top.  Use that time to call your mama or play Bingo with your kids instead
  • A mix of parmesan, sage, basil, and parsley will affectionately remind you of a classic turkey dinner, but your cooking and clean up will be a fraction of the time
  • Anybody else have bags of frozen cranberry sauce takin' up space in their freezer?  This recipe will put that to good use.

HOW TO MAKE MEATBALLS IN THE INSTANT POT

  1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl
  2. GENTLY mix the ingredients, just until combined.  Don't overwork it!
  3. Use a small ice cream scoop to form uniform meatballs
  4. Arrange on top of a trivet in the pressure cooker pot
  5. Cook for 5 minutes with a 10-minute natural release
  6. Serve with skewers and dip!

Turkey Meatballs on a white plate with cranberry sauce

I've said more than once that I've had enough turkey dinners in my lifetime to satisfy me for life.  My favorite thing ever though is to take those classic flavors and give them an unexpected twist.

These Turkey and Sage Meatballs are a perfect example of this!  Imagine the possibilities!

VARIATIONS

  • Serve them on top of a piping hot bowl of creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and top with a Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce “gravy”, and a crumble of crispy fried sage leaves and you've got a drop-dead awesome version of “Thanksgiving Dinner”
  • Ultimate Meatball Sandwich: Spread the top half of a ciabatta roll with Sir Kensington's Avocado Oil Mayo,  Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce, lightly mashed or sliced avocado, and crispy bacon slices.  On the bottom half, pile on the meatballs and top with slices of brie.  Throw it under the oven broiler until the brie is soft and melty.  Favorite meatball sammie of all time!
  • As an easy appetizer, serve with skewers and Cranberry Apple Sauce.  Simple and amazing

Turkey Meatballs on a white plate with cranberry sauce

Whether you live and breathe for the classic holiday dinner or crave a twist like I do, give these a try!  Better yet, make a double or triple batch and freeze some for an easy dinner another day.

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatballs on a white plate with cranberry sauce

EXTRA TIDBITS

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST MEATBALLS

Did you know there is an art to makin' meatballs?  A few simple tricks can take you from “meh” to “Yeah!”

  • Use a higher fat meat for a tender meatball, OR use a leaner meat and add grated parmesan and onion to keep it moist
  • Use a binder to keep the meatballs from falling apart.  For this recipe I use eggs.  Other recipes use soaked breadcrumbs or oil
  • Season well.  As a rule of thumb, I use 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper per pound of meat
  • Use a small ice cream scoop to keep the balls the same size so they all cook in the same amount of time
  • Don't pack the meatballs!  After scooping them with your ice cream scoop, gently finish forming them by hand
  • Cook them in a pressure cooker.  The moist environment keeps them moist instead of drying them out.  Bonus: No grease spatters or smoky kitchen!

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY FRIED SAGE LEAVES

Crispy fried sage leaves are incredibly easy and addictive.  Here's a quick how to:

Heat 1/2 – 1 inch of olive oil or ghee in a skillet just until shimmering.  Add sage leaves one at a time, don't overlap.  Fry until crisp, about 15 – 20 seconds, use a fork to flip and crisp the other side.  Remove and place on paper towels, sprinkle immediately with a pinch of salt.  Repeat, adding more oil or ghee if needed.

HOW TO COOK MEATBALLS FROM FROZEN IN THE INSTANT POT

When I cook from frozen, my rule of thumb is to cook them for 1 1/2 the original time.  I cook fresh meatballs on a trivet for 5 minutes, from frozen I cook them for 7.  This time will vary if the meatballs are larger, of course.

TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT TURKEY MEATBALLS

  • Instant Pot
  • Small Cookie Scoop
  • Whole Wheat Panko Bread Crumbs

 

Print

Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs

Turkey Meatballs on a white plate with cranberry sauce
Print Recipe

Moist, tender turkey meatballs filled with holiday flavors and served with a side of Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce

  • Author: Marci
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: about 16 meatballs 1x
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Pressure Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Turkey Meatballs

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs (or other breadcrumbs)
  • 1/2 cup grated sweet or yellow onion
  • 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 6 small sage leaves minced or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage or 3/4 teaspoons ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Optional for topping:

  • fried sage leaves (see notes)

Optional for serving: 

  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Instant Pot Cranberry Apple Sauce with Jalapeno (see notes)

Instructions

For the Turkey Meatballs

  1. In a large bowl, add ground turkey, breadcrumbs, onion, parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, parsley, basil, sage, salt, and pepper.
  2. Gently mix by hand, just until combined.
  3. Using a small cookie scoop (about a 2 teaspoon scoop), form meat into balls.
  4. Pour 1 cup water into the pressure cooker pot and place a trivet inside.
  5. Arrange meatballs in a circular pattern on top of the trivet.
  6. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes.
  7. When cooking is complete, use a natural release for 5 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
  8. Serve hot with a side of dip or on top of a bowl of mashed potatoes

Freezer Instructions

  1. Prepare meatball mixture and place balls on a cookie sheet.  Set in the freezer until frozen then place in a freezer safe ziplock bag.
  2. When ready to cook, arrange frozen meatballs on a trivet as directed above.
  3. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes and continue with step 7.

Notes

To make Fried Sage Leaves

  1. Heat 1/2 – 1 inch of olive oil or ghee in a skillet just until shimmering.
  2. Add sage leaves one at a time, don't overlap.  Fry until crisp, about 15 – 20 seconds, then use a fork to flip and crisp the other side.
  3. Remove and place on paper towels, sprinkle immediately with a pinch of salt.  Repeat with more sage leaves, adding more oil or ghee if needed.

To make Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce

  1. Add 1 seeded and diced jalapeno to Instant Pot Cranberry Apple Sauce and cook as directed or add 1 seeded and diced jalapeno to already prepared Cranberry Sauce
  • To double the recipe, add a second trivet and layer more meatballs.  Make sure the 2 layers of meat do not sit directly on top of each other.

Keywords: pressure cooker, instant pot, meatballs, easy dinner

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

 

Marci at Tidbits
Marci

Welcome! I’m Marci, wife to my motorcycle dream man and mother of 3. I have a passion for creating and cooking delicious masterpieces in my kitchen and am ecstatic to share my discoveries on TIDBITS! I like my food tasty, wholesome, memorable, and always, ALWAYS followed by dark, salty chocolate.

I love to see what you're cooking from my blog! Show me your creations on Instagram using hashtag #MARCITIDBITS
For more TIDBITS food talk, join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube

FREE EMAIL BONUS
5 Expert Instant Pot Tricks
HOW TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY WITH THE INSTANT POT
272 shares

Tags: basil, egg, ground turkey, onion, panko, parmesan cheese, parsley
Leave a Comment

You might also like

  • Instant Pot Cheesy Meatball Sub SoupInstant Pot Cheesy Meatball Sub Soup
  • Instant Pot Spring Soup with Chicken Ricotta MeatballsInstant Pot Spring Soup with Chicken Ricotta Meatballs
  • Instant Pot Chicken Ricotta Meatballs and Green Rice with Lemon Pickle SauceInstant Pot Chicken Ricotta Meatballs and Green Rice with Lemon Pickle Sauce
  • Instant Pot Meatball SandwichInstant Pot Meatball Sandwich

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. elizabeth tingley says

    December 22, 2018

    Where do you get the trivet you used in the meatball recipe? Thank you. Enjoy your books and e-mails. bettu

    Reply
    • Marci says

      December 24, 2018

      Elizabeth, I’m not sure. From a never ending box of trivets!

      Reply
      • betty says

        December 25, 2018

        Thank you, Marci, I found it on Goggle. betty

  2. Stacy says

    December 21, 2018

    What would you suggest for using leftover cooked turkey for the meatballs as far as cooking time? These sound delicious and I would love to have another way to use up leftover turkey!

    Reply
    • Marci says

      December 21, 2018

      Stacy, Haha, I was thinking on that while I was creating the recipe! Sadly, I couldn’t think of a way to create a meatball out of already cooked turkey. I’m curious what would happen if I put the turkey in a food processor and chopped it fine with the other ingredients, but so far, I haven’t tested this idea. Let me know if you figure something out!

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Marci at Tidbits
Pressure Cooker Freezer Meals - TIDBITS Marci

Reader Favorites

  • instant pot breakfast casserole on a plate with toast Instant Pot Breakfast Casserole in a Jar
  • Three bowls of pressure cooker pasta in a row How to Cook Pasta in the Instant Pot – The Perfect Formula
  • Instant Pot Pot Roast on plate with mashed potato and biscuit Instant Pot Pot Roast (Tender + Flavorful)
  • Instant Pot Mexican Inspired Healthy Crack Chicken in a bowl Instant Pot Healthy Crack Chicken
  • Oatmeal muffins in a basket with a blue cloth Instant Pot Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins AKA BeeBo Bites
  • Instant Pot Steak Fajitas on a plate with peppers and onions Instant Pot Easy Steak Fajitas

Instant Pot Freezer Meals

  • Frozen meals in a bag with ribbons Instant Pot Freezer Meal Gift Ideas with Free Printables
  • butternut squash soup in a white bowl with peanuts and basil Instant Pot Healthy Butternut Squash Soup with a Thai Twist
  • Instant Pot Chipotle Peach BBQ Ribs on a plate Instant Pot Chipotle Peach BBQ Ribs
  • Top shot of creamy enchilada soup in a white bowl Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
  • two instant pot tamales on a plate Instant Pot Tamales – Healthy Version
  • Philly Cheesesteak on a wood cutting board Instant Pot Easy Philly Cheesesteak

free email bonus

5 Expert Instant Pot Tricks

How to save time and money
with the Instant Pot
Our digital ecookbook, get your copy now for all your devices.

Archives

Country Living - TIDBITS Marci
Instant Pot - TIDBITS Marci
Today - TIDBITS Marci
Daily Burn - TIDBITS Marci
Pure Wow - TIDBITS Marci

Footer

TIDBITS Marci

free email bonus

5 Expert Instant Pot Tricks

How to save time and money with the Instant Pot


 

Copyright © 2023 · Tidbits on Genesis Framework · Disclosure and Privacy Policy · WordPress · Log in

272 shares