Dinner Recipes

Wild Mushroom Turkey Meatballs over Creamy Risotto

January 26, 2022 /

As I am writing this recipe…here in Wisconsin we are experiencing  -25 degrees with windchill. I can’t change the weather but I can make it more comforting by heating up your kitchen. I’m going to be honest this dish by no means is difficult but it will require some time in the kitchen. So turn on your favorite play list and get ready to prepare one of my top 10 all time savory dishes! It’s worth it when you experience the finished product. I love this dish for numerous reasons but number 1 is the meatballs are served over a creamy parmesean risotto…and number 2 is the meatballs are made with mushrooms which adds a great depth of flavor and moisture to the turkey. This dish is definately savory and I can’t wait to share:)

 

Ingredients: Meatballs

  • 8 oz wild mushrooms cleaned  (I used shitake, portabell and cremini)
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup of grated parmesean
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup of milk
  • 1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey

Inredients: Risotto:

  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic crushed
  • 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup of grated parmesean
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped spinach

Directions: Meatballs

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add olive oil and saute mushrooms, onions, and garlic until mushrooms are soft and broken down. Take off heat and slightly cool. Next pull out food processor or blender and add mushroom mixture and juices from pan…processs until paste like. In a large mixing bowl add bread crumbs, egg, and milk mix with a fork until incorporated. Add ground turkey, mushroom paste, seasonings, parmesean, and parsley to bowl. Gently mix until fully incorporated. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. While oven is preheating use a heaping tablespoon to form balls. Place on foil line baking sheet. Set aside as meatballs don’t go in until you get to about the 3rd step of risotto stage.

Directions: Risotto 

(PUT MEATBALLS IN OVEN WHEN YOU START ADDING BROTH)

FYI: This step is going to take about 30-40 minutes in which you will have to tend to your risotto…this is not a walk away step)

In a medium sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and add garlic…saute until garlic is soft. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of unrinsed Arborio rice and mix so that garlic and olive oil evenly coats rice (about 30 seconds) Turn up to medium-high heat. Slowly add 1/2 cup broth at a time (I pour broth right from the container and just eye 1/2 cup…it doesn’t have to be perfect just mostly absorbed before the next step), stirring almost continuously between additions. Before adding more broth, wait until the liquid is nearly fully absorbed. When your last cup of broth is nearly absorbed add spinach and parmesean and stir until fully incorporated…add heavy whipping cream stir and turn off heat and cover for 3 minutes.

Risotto should be aldente but if you feel like the rice is too hard just cover and reduce heat to low…the rice will continue to absorb. If you feel the risotto is too thick add more broth or cream to desired consistency.

Pull meatballs out of oven

Heap about a 1/3 cup of risotto on plate and top with meatballs.

I know this dish requires a bit of a “labor of love” but trust me it’s worth it!

Enjoy,

Jessi XOXOXOX