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Prep time
15 minutes -
Cook time
30 minutes -
Makes
24 to 28 meatballs
Author Notes
My mom’s tomato soup meatballs are the only recipe my family makes religiously every Thanksgiving—they’re tangy, lightly sweet, have a solid kick (thanks to the ginger), and more tender than any turkey meatballs you’ve every met thanks to (you guessed it) the tomato soup. —Erin Alexander
- Test Kitchen-Approved
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
2 pounds
ground turkey (1 pound of dark meat, 1 pound white meat)
2
celery stalks, super finely diced
1/2 cup
sweet onion, super finely diced
1 teaspoon
minced garlic
1 teaspoon
soy sauce
1/2 cup
creamy tomato soup
2
eggs, beaten
1 cup
Italian breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon
dry mustard powder
2 tablespoons
ground ginger
1 dash
kosher salt
1 dash
freshly ground black pepper
- For the sauce:
1 1/2 quarts
creamy tomato soup
1 tablespoon
minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons
ground ginger, or to taste
2 teaspoons
soy sauce
3/4 cup
light brown sugar
1
small bunch finely chopped tarragon, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- To make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl (I like to use my hands to squish everything together). Once well combined, form into medium-size meatballs—you should be able to make roughly 24 to 28.
- Place the meatballs on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
- Place the cooked meatballs in a 2 ½-quart casserole dish.
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While the meatballs cook, make the sauce: Combine the ingredients (except the tarragon) in a large pot and heat over medium-low until all the ingredients are fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. (The brown sugar should be fully dissolved and the ground ginger should be well distributed.)
- Pour the sauce over the cooked meatballs, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight. (You can also serve them straight away with the sauce.)
- If serving the next day, let the meatballs come up to room temperature and reheat in the oven at 325-350°F for 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped tarragon and serve.
Photo by Rocky Luten. Food Stylist: Anna Billingskog. Prop Stylist: Amanda Widis Prep time 15 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Makes 24 to 28 meatballs Author Notes My mom’s tomato soup meatballs are the only recipe my family makes religiously every Thanksgiving—they’re tangy, lightly sweet, have a solid kick (thanks to the ginger), and more tender than any turkey meatballs you’ve every met thanks to (you guessed it) the tomato soup. —Erin Alexander Test Kitchen-Approved Ingredients For the meatballs: 2 pounds ground turkey (1 pound of dark meat, 1 pound white meat) 2 celery stalks, super finely diced 1/2 cup sweet onion, super finely diced 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1/2 cup creamy tomato soup 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder 2 tablespoons ground ginger 1 dash kosher salt 1 dash freshly ground black pepper For the sauce: 1 1/2 quarts creamy tomato soup 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger, or to taste 2 teaspoons soy sauce 3/4 cup light brown sugar 1 small bunch finely chopped tarragon, for garnish (optional) Directions To make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl (I like to use my hands to squish everything together). Once well combined, form into medium-size meatballs—you should be able to make roughly 24 to 28. Place the meatballs on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Place the cooked meatballs in a 2 ½-quart casserole dish. While the meatballs cook, make the sauce: Combine the ingredients (except the tarragon) in a large pot and heat over medium-low until all the ingredients are fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. (The brown sugar should be fully dissolved and the ground ginger should be well distributed.) Pour the sauce over the cooked meatballs, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight. (You can also serve them straight away with the sauce.) If serving the next day, let the meatballs come up to room temperature and reheat in the oven at 325-350°F for 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped tarragon and serve.
Mom’s Tomato Soup Meatballs
