Turkey Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Pan Gravy
Cozy meatballs in a creamy gravy, without an all-night project.
If you want something cozy but don’t have the energy for a complicated dinner, make this on a night when you need a guaranteed win. It keeps the familiar Swedish meatball feeling—tender meatballs, creamy gravy, and something to spoon over noodles or mashed potatoes—while staying weeknight-friendly and lighter with turkey. The sauce comes together in the same pan, so you get comfort without a pile of dishes. Expect a gentle, savory flavor rather than a heavy restaurant version, and plan on a solid 35 to 40 minutes from start to finish. It’s the kind of dinner that feels comforting enough for a rough day but still realistic when you’re tired.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 cup breadcrumbs — plain or seasoned
- 1 unit egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 8 oz mushrooms — sliced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley — optional, for serving
Method
- 1 In a bowl, mix the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg until just combined. Shape into 16 small meatballs.
- 2 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- 3 Add the butter and mushrooms to the same skillet. Cook until the mushrooms soften and release their juices, 4 to 5 minutes.
- 4 Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth, scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is smooth.
- 5 Stir in the sour cream and Dijon mustard. Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, just until everything is hot and the gravy lightly thickens.
- 6 Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice, and finish with parsley if you like.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Use a plant-based ground crumble shaped into meatballs and keep the same gravy, using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Faster swap — Use frozen cooked turkey meatballs and start at the mushroom-gravy step; dinner can be on the table in about 20 minutes.
- Easy substitutions — No mushrooms? Skip them and add 1 extra tbsp butter before the flour. No sour cream? Use plain Greek yogurt off the heat.
Notes
For the most tender meatballs, mix only until the ingredients come together. If the gravy gets too thick, splash in a little extra broth. If you want a little more classic Swedish-meatball flavor, serve with lingonberry jam or a tart cranberry sauce on the side.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — It gives the meatballs room to brown and lets you build the gravy in the same pan.
- Mixing bowl — A separate bowl makes it easy to combine the meatball mixture without overworking it.
- Whisk — It helps the gravy stay smooth when the broth goes in.
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