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Turkey Meatballs with Skillet Brown Rice Dressing

By Jessica Rudolph

Published on August 23, 2022

Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Turkey Meatballs with Skillet Brown Rice Dressing

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain brown rice 1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking rice1 onion, chopped coarse2 celery ribs, chopped coarse2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage ½ teaspoon pepper 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1¼ pounds ground turkey ½ cup panko bread crumbs ¾ cup chicken broth ½ cup dried cranberries

Before You Begin

Sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans and chopped fresh parsley before serving, if desired.

Instructions

  1.  Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer; set aside.
  2.  Meanwhile, pulse onion, celery, sage, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt in food processor until finely chopped, about 6 pulses. Melt butter in 12-inch broiler-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer ⅓ cup onion mixture to large bowl. Mix in turkey, panko, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined. Form turkey mixture into sixteen 1¾-inch meatballs and arrange on prepared sheet. Bake until meatballs register 160 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes.
  3.  Heat broiler. Stir broth, cranberries, and rice into remaining onion mixture in skillet and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Nestle meatballs into rice mixture. Broil until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.
Turkey Meatballs with Skillet Brown Rice Dressing
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Kendra Smith.

Turkey Meatballs with Skillet Brown Rice Dressing

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Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain brown rice
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking rice
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 celery ribs, chopped coarse
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage
½ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1¼ pounds ground turkey
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup dried cranberries

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain brown rice
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking rice
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 celery ribs, chopped coarse
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage
½ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1¼ pounds ground turkey
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup dried cranberries

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain brown rice
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking rice
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 celery ribs, chopped coarse
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage
½ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1¼ pounds ground turkey
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup dried cranberries

Why This Recipe Works

A blend of finely chopped onion, celery, and sage imbues this skillet supper with familiar autumnal flavor. Cooking the brown rice pasta-style—uncovered in plenty of salted water and then drained—was much faster than using the absorption method.

Before You Begin

Sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans and chopped fresh parsley before serving, if desired.

Instructions

  1.  Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer; set aside.
  2.  Meanwhile, pulse onion, celery, sage, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt in food processor until finely chopped, about 6 pulses. Melt butter in 12-inch broiler-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer ⅓ cup onion mixture to large bowl. Mix in turkey, panko, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined. Form turkey mixture into sixteen 1¾-inch meatballs and arrange on prepared sheet. Bake until meatballs register 160 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes.
  3.  Heat broiler. Stir broth, cranberries, and rice into remaining onion mixture in skillet and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Nestle meatballs into rice mixture. Broil until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.

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