Meatballs and Mushroom Gravy with Semolina “Polenta”
By Andrea GearyPublished on April 1, 2026
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth, divided2 cups milk 1 onion, grated, divided⅓ cup panko bread crumbs 1 large egg 1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided½ teaspoon pepper, divided1 pound 85 percent lean ground turkey 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), divided⅔ cup semolina flour ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped2 teaspoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Before You Begin
You can substitute 93 percent lean turkey; the meatballs will be slightly drier. Serve with salad or steamed vegetables.
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups chicken broth and 2 cups milk to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. While broth mixture is heating, combine ½ grated onion, ⅓ cup panko, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl and stir until crumbs are evenly moistened. Stir in 1 pound ground turkey and ½ cup grated Parmesan until evenly combined. Shape mixture into 12 balls and place on plate. Freeze for 15 minutes.
- While meatballs chill, whisk ⅔ cup semolina flour, ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper into boiling broth mixture. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and boiling across entire surface. Whisk in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and remaining ½ cup grated Parmesan. Cover and set aside (semolina will thicken).
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Return meatballs to plate, leaving any fat and brown bits in skillet.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 8 ounces white mushrooms, chopped; remaining ½ grated onion; and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until skillet is dry and mushrooms and onion begin to brown, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons tomato paste and 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour until combined. Stir in remaining 1 cup broth.
- Return meatballs to skillet and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until meatballs register 160 degrees, about 10 minutes, turning meatballs once. Stir ¼ cup chopped parsley into semolina. Serve meatballs and gravy over semolina.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups milk
1 onion, grated, divided
⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
1 large egg
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 pound 85 percent lean ground turkey
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), divided
⅔ cup semolina flour
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups milk
1 onion, grated, divided
⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
1 large egg
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 pound 85 percent lean ground turkey
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), divided
⅔ cup semolina flour
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups milk
1 onion, grated, divided
⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
1 large egg
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 pound 85 percent lean ground turkey
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), divided
⅔ cup semolina flour
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Why This Recipe Works
This cozy, satisfying meal is surprisingly simple to prepare. For light, tender turkey meatballs, we mix in panko crumbs, which trap moisture and break up the structure. Parmesan adds the umami that ground turkey lacks and grated onion contributes a subtle background flavor. We briefly freeze the portions after shaping, which makes the soft meatballs easier to cook. Mushrooms and more grated onion cooked with tomato paste give our gravy robust savoriness and flour thickens it slightly so it coats the meatballs. Semolina cooked in a mixture of milk and chicken broth and enriched with Parmesan and olive oil makes a luxurious polenta-like base for the meatballs and gravy but takes a fraction of the time.
Before You Begin
You can substitute 93 percent lean turkey; the meatballs will be slightly drier. Serve with salad or steamed vegetables.
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups chicken broth and 2 cups milk to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. While broth mixture is heating, combine ½ grated onion, ⅓ cup panko, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl and stir until crumbs are evenly moistened. Stir in 1 pound ground turkey and ½ cup grated Parmesan until evenly combined. Shape mixture into 12 balls and place on plate. Freeze for 15 minutes.
- While meatballs chill, whisk ⅔ cup semolina flour, ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper into boiling broth mixture. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and boiling across entire surface. Whisk in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and remaining ½ cup grated Parmesan. Cover and set aside (semolina will thicken).
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Return meatballs to plate, leaving any fat and brown bits in skillet.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 8 ounces white mushrooms, chopped; remaining ½ grated onion; and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until skillet is dry and mushrooms and onion begin to brown, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons tomato paste and 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour until combined. Stir in remaining 1 cup broth.
- Return meatballs to skillet and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until meatballs register 160 degrees, about 10 minutes, turning meatballs once. Stir ¼ cup chopped parsley into semolina. Serve meatballs and gravy over semolina.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments