This stew is bursting with the flavor and color of fresh veggies and herbs. The stew’s vegetables should be chopped while the meatballs are first made and allowed to firm up in the refrigerator. Depending on your family’s preferences, serve it alone, over mashed potatoes or noodles, or with hot biscuits. It should be a keeper for you if it’s satisfying but light.
| Prep Time: | 35 mins |
| Cook Time: | 45 mins |
| Additional Time: | 20 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 40 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- ½ cup quick-cooking oats
- ½ cup minced white onion
- ½ cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh basil
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh parsley (Optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 3 cups chopped butternut squash
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped parsnips
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ⅔ cup dry white wine (Optional)
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (Optional)
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Test meatballs for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. The safe internal temperature for meatballs is 175 degrees F (79 degrees C).
- 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.
- Use 3 tablespoons, minced, of the fresh herbs of your choice.
- Chop all vegetables into uniform, 1/2-inch pieces so they cook evenly.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 239 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 27 g |
| Cholesterol | 70 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Protein | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Sodium | 986 mg |
| Sugars | 8 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Enjoyed this healthy and tasty recipe. I followed it exactly except for adding in some additional spice while the broth was simmering and at the end for final tweaks – garlic salt, onion powder and some chicken bouillon cubes to taste. I did not need the cornstarch. Everyone raved!