Turkey Meatball and Vegetable Stew

The flavor and color of fresh vegetables and herbs abound in this stew featuring homemade turkey meatballs.

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 239 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 3 cups chopped butternut squash
• 1 cup chopped parsnips
• 0.5 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 0.66666668653488 cup dry white wine
• 1.5 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 0.5 cup quick-cooking oats
• 0.5 cup minced white onion
• 1.5 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine oats, onion, mushrooms, basil, parsley, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add beaten egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Add turkey, and using a rubber spatula, stir and mash ingredients together evenly. Form into 27 to 30 meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Combine butternut squash, carrots, mushrooms, celery, parsnips, red onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in a 6-quart kettle or Dutch oven. Pour in broth and wine; mix to combine. Bring to a boil over medium high-heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Make sure the liquid is at a true simmer, with small, intermittent bubbles.

Step 3

Gently add meatballs one at a time, without stirring, as this will cause the meatballs to fall apart. Reduce heat to low. Cook until the bottoms of the meatballs begin to turn white, about 3 minutes. Gently turn meatballs to allow the other side to cook. Increase heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn meatballs again, and continue to cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in frozen peas.

Step 4

Test meatballs for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. The safe internal temperature for meatballs is 175 degrees F (79 degrees C).

Step 5

If stew is too thin, remove about 1/2 cup of broth to a cup and allow to cool briefly. Briskly stir in cornstarch until there are no lumps. Gradually add slurry to the stew, stirring constantly, and cook until the broth has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.