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Sweet and sour turkey balls recipe

Sweet and sour turkey balls recipe

25 ratings

Revamp this classic Chinese takeaway dish with a turkey twist. Turkey mince is a great alternative to chicken, and pairs brilliantly with juicy pineapple chunks, veggies and sticky sweet and sour sauce. There's a reason why this flavourful dish is so popular - it's simply delicious, and dairy and gluten-free! See method

  • Serves 6
  • 35 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook
  • 328 calories / serving
  • Freezable
  • Healthy
  • Gluten-free
  • Dairy-free

Ingredients

  • 750g turkey breast mince
  • 10cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 30g pack fresh chives, finely snipped
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 tbsp cornflour
  • 6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 x 432g tins pineapple slices in juice, rings quartered, 100ml juice reserved
  • 350g passata
  • 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (optional)
  • 1 onion, cut into 2cm chunks
  • 2 large carrots, cut into thick slices
  • 2 peppers, cut into 2cm chunks

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    1385kj
    328kcal
    16%
  • Fat

    6g 9%
  • Saturates

    1g 6%
  • Sugars

    7g 8%
  • Salt

    0.9g 15%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 34.8g Protein 34.2g Fibre 5.2g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Put the mince, half the ginger, the cinnamon and most of the chives in a large bowl. Mix with your hands, then shape into 18 balls. Space out on a baking tray; drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, ensuring they are evenly coated.
  2. Put the garlic and the remaining ginger in a jug and mix in the cornflour and 1-2 tbsp vinegar to make a smooth paste. Slowly stir in the remaining vinegar, the pineapple juice, 75ml water, the passata and chilli sauce, if using (you should have about 800ml sauce). Season.
  3. Bake the meatballs on the top shelf for 20 mins until golden. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions, stirring, for 8 mins until starting to soften. Add the carrots and peppers and fry for 5 mins. Stir the passata sauce into the veg with 350ml water and bring to a simmer. Bubble for 10 mins until the carrots are just tender, then add the meatballs and pineapple. Simmer for 5 mins until the meatballs are cooked through. Scatter with the remaining chives to serve.

See more Chinese recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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