Craving Thanksgiving flavors without the fuss? These Cranberry Turkey Meatballs are made with lean ground turkey, grated Japanese sweet potato (no breadcrumbs needed!), and tart cranberries, all coated in a sticky maple-mustard glaze. Juicy, herby, and naturally gluten-free and paleo, they come together in about 30 minutes and make the perfect holiday appetizer or weeknight dinner.
It’s officially that time of year when my brain goes into full-on Thanksgiving mode. But I’ll be honest: I don’t always want to roast a whole turkey or juggle a dozen side dishes. Sometimes, I just want something that tastes like Thanksgiving—minus the stress and the sink full of dishes.
Enter these savory Cranberry Turkey Meatballs with Maple-Mustard Glaze.
They’re packed with all the cozy holiday flavors you love: juicy ground turkey, sweet-tart cranberries, fresh sage and thyme, and a sticky-sweet maple glaze that ties everything together.
And instead of breadcrumbs or nut flours, these meatballs stay moist and tender thanks to my favorite real-food binder—grated Japanese sweet potato—plus a little secret weapon for lean ground turkey: a spoonful of mayo.
Trust me, it makes all the difference.
Ingredients
For the turkey meatballs
- Lean ground turkey (93% lean preferred): The perfect balance of protein and fat. Skip extra-lean breast meat unless you love dry meatballs.
- Japanese sweet potato: Adds moisture, light sweetness, and acts as a real-food binder instead of breadcrumbs or nut flours. Finely grate it so it cooks evenly in the meatballs!
- Finely chopped dried cranberries: Gives each bite little bursts of tartness—use apple juice sweetened dried cranberries if you’re doing a Whole30.
- Finely minced shallots: Provides gentle onion flavor without overpowering the turkey. You can substitute finely minced red onion or green onions if you don’t have a shallot.
- Mayonnaise: This is my secret ingredient to make ground turkey juicy and moist. I used to make my own mayo, but who has time for that anymore? I buy Primal Kitchen, Sir Kensington’s, or Chosen Food avocado oil mayonnaise.
- Finely chopped fresh sage: Brings that unmistakable Thanksgiving aroma to these meatballs!
- Coconut aminos: Adds subtle umami and sweetness to the meatballs.
- Finely chopped fresh thyme leaves: Balances the sage and complements the cranberries.
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt: Remember to use about half of the salt if you are using Morton’s or fine sea salt.
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Avocado oil: Helps the meatballs brown beautifully in the oven or air fryer and it keeps your hands from sticking to the raw meatball mixture when you’re rolling them.
For the maple-mustard glaze
- Maple syrup: Natural sweetness that caramelizes in the oven—dark amber works best for deep flavor.
- Dijon mustard: The tang cuts through and balances with the maple syrup’s sweetness.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds brightness and keeps the glaze from feeling heavy.
- Coconut aminos: Lends savory umami to balance the sweet and tangy notes.
- Arrowroot powder: Thickens the glaze just enough to cling to the meatballs.
How to make Cranberry Turkey Meatballs
Oven Instructions
Heat the oven: Heat to 400°F convection or 425°F conventional with the rack in the middle. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or brush lightly with avocado oil.
Mix the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, grated sweet potato, cranberries, shallots…
…mayonnaise, sage, coconut aminos, thyme…
…salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands—don’t overwork it.
Taste test: Cook a tiny coin-sized patty in the microwave for 30 seconds to check seasoning and adjust as needed.
Shape: Scoop the mixture into 1½-inch diameter balls (about 2 tablespoons each). I like using this medium disher to portion out my meatballs.
Lightly oil your hands with avocado oil and roll into smooth balls.
Arrange the meatballs evenly on the sheet—you should get about 24 meatballs.
Bake: Roast the meatballs for 15 minutes…
…or until they’re cooked through and the centers reach 165°F.
Make the glaze: While the meatballs are baking, make the glaze/sauce!
Place the maple syrup, dijon mustard, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, and arrowroot powder in a microwave safe bowl with at least a 2 cup capacity and whisk well.
Next, microwave the glaze for 1 minute, stir, and then zap in 30 second increments or until everything boils and thickens slightly. I like using my Anyday 2.5-cup square dish with a vented lid because the sauce tends to bubble and puff up.
No microwave? In a small saucepan, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat until glossy.
Finish: Brush the glaze over the meatballs and return to the oven for 3–4 minutes to caramelize.
Serve with extra glaze for dipping.
Air Fryer Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F, if needed. Lightly brush or spray the basket with avocado oil.
Arrange meatballs in a single layer (cook in batches if needed).
Air fry for 9 to 10 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and cooked through (165 °F).
Make the glaze (see above) and brush the meatballs with glaze. Then, air fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to set the coating.
Tips & Substitutions
- No Japanese sweet potato? Use Hannah or Jersey sweet potatoes—or combine ½ cup grated Yukon Gold with ¼ cup grated carrot or parsnip for natural sweetness.
- Don’t skip the mayo! It keeps lean turkey juicy and moist.
- Make ahead: Roll the meatballs up to a day ahead; bake just before serving. They freeze beautifully, cooked (store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months). I just thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat them.
- Reheat: Microwave in an Anyday microwave glass container for about 1 to 2 minutes or bake at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes or air fry at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes or until heated through.
Make it a meal
Serve these meatballs with Mashed Cauliflower, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon, or my Asian Chopped Salad. They also make a killer meal-prep lunch over mixed greens, roasted veggies, or rice.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
Cranberry Turkey Meatballs with Maple Mustard Glaze
Ingredients
For the Turkey Meatballs
- 1½ pounds ground turkey (93% lean)
- ¾ cup finely grated Japanese sweet potato
- ¼ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely minced shallots
- 1½ tablespoons paleo mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use about ½ the amount if using Morton's kosher salt or fine sea salt)
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or more as needed
For the Maple Mustard Glaze
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon arrowroot powder
Instructions
Oven Method
- Heat oven to 400°F convection or 425°F conventional with the rack in the middle. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or brush lightly with avocado oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the turkey, grated sweet potato,cranberries, shallots, mayo, sage, coconut aminos, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until evenly distributed—don’t overmix.
- You can make a tiny coin sized patty and cook it in the microwave for 30 seconds to check for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Scoop the meatball mixture into 1½-inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Add the avocado oil to the palms of your hands and roll the turkey meatballs into smooth, uniform balls. Arrange evenly on the prepared sheet. You should get about 24 meatballs.
- Place the tray of meatballs in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until cooked through (165°F internal temp).
- While the meatballs are cooking, make the maple mustard glaze. Place the maple mustard glaze ingredients in a microwave safe bowl with at least a 2 cup capacity and whisk well. Microwave the sauce for 1 minute, stir, and then zap in 30 second increments until everything boils and thickens slightly.No microwave? In a small saucepan, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat until glossy.
- When the meatballs are cooked, brush glaze over meatballs and return to the oven 3 to 4 more minutes to caramelize. Stab with toothpicks and serve!
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- When the air fryer is hot, lightly brush or spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil.
- Arrange meatballs in a single layer on the air fryer basket (cook in batches if needed).
- Air fry for 9 to 10 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and cooked through (165°F).
- Toss or brush with glaze, then air fry 1 to 2 minutes more to set the coating.
Video
Notes
- No Japanese sweet potato? Use Hannah or Jersey sweet potatoes—or combine ½ cup grated Yukon Gold with ¼ cup grated carrot or parsnip for natural sweetness.
- Don’t skip the mayo! It keeps lean turkey juicy and moist.
- Make ahead: Roll the meatballs up to a day ahead; bake just before serving. They freeze beautifully, cooked. I just thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat them.
- Reheat: Microwave in an Anyday microwave glass container for about 1 to 2 minutes or bake at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes or air fry at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These balls were fantastic! Loved the sweet glaze 🙂
I have a large stock of frozen turkey breast to use up. I can grind it in my food processor but I am unsure of how much fat to add per pound or in this case, per recipe. I have rendered chicken fat, lard, tallow, butter and many oils. Which would be suitable and how many tablespoons or teaspoons should I add to the ground up turkey breast?
This recipe looks wonderful! Can’t wait to make it.
I would bump up the mayonnaise to 3 tablespoons!
My whole family LOVED this recipe. All the flavors blend together beautifully to create the juiciest, tangy meatball that tastes like Thanksgiving and comfort.
So happy with all the tasteful and different recipes you provide for turkey. Once again we used harvested wild turkey, and once again I am blown away with the flavors and uniqueness in each dish.
The sage and cranberry in this dish have our mouths watering before the first bite. Juicy and balanced, another keeper.
Absolutely phenomenal! The glaze is out of this world! We used our air fryer and I don’t think I’ll ever make meatballs in the oven again. We’re going to try this as a meatloaf and also turkey burgers in the future.
Just made this and it’s soooo good!!
This was amazing! I used ground chicken. So good!
These were a hit for dinner. Very delicious and easy to make.