Can I over blend my mushroom mixture?

Yes and no. It IS possible to accidentally purée the portobello mushrooms here, especially if your food processor is too full. We recommend blending the mushrooms in batches to ensure you get a fine mince. However: Even if you DO accidentally purée the mushrooms, it's not that big of a deal! The initial mushroom mixture will look a little soupy right out of the food processor, but it will cook down into a perfectly usable, fine paste (see images below) :

Why is there white stuff coming out of my cooked meatballs?

Don't worry if you notice a bit of white liquid - often resembling cooked egg whites - leaking from the edges of your turkey meatballs after they bake. This is just a mix of water and protein that's released from the turkey as it cooks and shrinks in a hot oven. This process - called "denaturing" - is common with chicken and some seafood (like the white albumin that sometimes seeps out of salmon ). Some brands of turkey (and some methods of turkey processing) will release more of this substance than others, especially if the turkey was previously frozen, but it's not harmful. If it bugs you, you can brush it off and discard it. Flipping the meatballs halfway through cooking helps prevent this water-and-protein mix from leaking out; we also find that denaturing is less prevalent in fresh, high-quality ground meat (like organic ground turkey or meat from our local butcher).

Can I cook these meatballs on the stovetop?

Yes! Fry these meatballs in a large skillet on the stovetop with a bit of olive oil or ghee. Flip them occasionally, and cook until they're golden brown on all sides and reach an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit.

Do I have to cook the mushrooms?

Yes. Cooking the mushrooms first removes excess moisture, which helps them better mimic the texture of ground turkey. We did test this recipe with raw minced mushrooms, and it resulted in a turkey mixture that was very loose and difficult to shape. As they cooked, the meatballs made with raw mushrooms tended to flatten out a bit, and the final texture was just kind of mushy . In a side-by-side taste test, meatballs made with cooked mushrooms were the unanimous favorite in both flavor and texture.

Can I roast the mushrooms instead?

Yes! This recipe is excellent with roasted mushrooms, and roasting is a great way to build even more flavor into these meatballs. Roughly chop mushrooms. Add mushrooms, garlic, and onion to a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper, then toss with olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Roast at 425° F for 20-30 minutes, until mushrooms are browned and have reduced in size. Let roasted mushrooms cool completely, then transfer to a food processor and pulse until you have a finely minced mixture. Assemble and bake the meatballs normally.

Turkey Mushroom Meatballs (Hidden Veggie Recipe!)

Description

These hearty turkey meatballs are perfect for meal prep! A cozy portobello mushroom mixture adds flavor and helps stretch the protein into additional portions.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Mushroom Mixture:

24 ounces (1 large container) baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil

For the Meatballs:

2 eggs
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 pounds ground turkey
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Prepare the Mushroom Mixture:

Add mushrooms, garlic, and onion to the bowl of a food processor with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Pulse until you have a very fine mince, scraping the sides down between pulses as needed. Note: We recommend working in two batches here, as it’s easier to get a uniform texture without accidentally pureeing the mushrooms.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushroom mixture and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, until mushrooms have reduced in size and all excess water has evaporated.
Turn off the heat and let mushrooms cool completely (about 1 hour) before proceeding.
Tip: Make this mushroom mixture a few days ahead of time. Store cooled mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge.

Make the Meatballs:

In a large bowl, mix cooled mushroom mixture, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.
Add ground turkey to the bread crumb mixture, then use clean hands to combine everything until you have a smooth, uniform mixture.
Form meatballs approximately 1 inch in diameter, then roll them between your hands to smooth out the edges. Tip: Dip your hands in cold water to prevent the meatball mixture from sticking.
Place meatballs 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake:

Heat oven to 425°F.
Bake meatballs for 10 minutes, then pull the pan out of the oven and use tongs to carefully flip each meatball over (this will create a little more texture on the meatballs). Return to the oven and bake 10-15 minutes more, until meatballs are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Notes

This is a fairly soft meatball mixture, and the texture will vary depending on the brand of turkey and the water content of your mushrooms. Take your time cooking the mushroom mixture to remove as much moisture as possible. If the turkey mixture is difficult to work with, dip your hands in cold water to prevent sticking as you shape the meatballs (this makes a huge difference). If the mixture still feels too loose, you can mix in some more breadcrumbs. Keep in mind that meatballs will firm up quite a bit in the oven.

Substitutions and Additions. Use ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, or a combination of ground meats in place of turkey if you like. Add extra mix-ins if you'd like stronger flavors (dried herbs, grated ginger, a scoop of gochujang, or a drizzle of thai sweet chili sauce are all lovely here). Add a handful of grated parmesan, pecorino romano, or asiago cheese.

Freezing and Storage. Let cooked meatballs cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

These meatballs are purposefully light on seasonings, because we want them to pair well with any sauce (from a hearty marinara sauce to a quick curry to a brothy tortellini soup). If you eat these meatballs alone, with no sauce, they may feel a little bland: We recommend pairing them with a flavorful sauce for best results.

Serving suggestions. Serve these meatballs with your favorite marinara sauce over pasta, toss them with pizza sauce for a quick meatball sub, heat them up in a bit of curry or tikka masala sauce to serve with rice, or toss with a spicy Asian-inspired sauce and serve with a quick salad.