Cajun spice adds a nice kick to these turkey meatballs, which are coated in breadcrumbs but baked, not fried, to give them a crisp exterior without all the fat. The recipe below is delicious served with rice or over buttered noodles. You could even serve these meatballs with a Cajun-spiced corn casserole.
Another excellent way to serve these meatballs is as an hors d'oeuvre. Make the meatballs quite small, and when they're cooked, spear each on a toothpick. Serve on a platter with a choice of dipping sauces: Barbecue sauce or buffalo hot wing sauce are two tasty options.
Cajun Turkey Meatballs
16 meatballs
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, brunoise
1/2 green bell pepper, brunoise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 egg
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Heat the butter in a skillet. Add the onion and pepper, and sauté for about 5-6 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute more, then season with salt and remove from the heat. Set in a bowl and allow to cool.
In a bowl, combine the turkey, egg, Cajun seasoning and flat-leaf parsley. Add the cooled vegetables and bring together without overworking. Divide the mixture into approximately 16 golf-ball-sized portions.
Roll each meatball in breadcrumbs and set on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.