Most of us love to chow down a yummy turkey sandwich with all the trimmings after our Thanksgiving celebration. But guys, these Leftover Turkey Feast Balls may be your new favorite way to devour those leftovers.
Form your leftover stuffing, turkey, parmesan cheese & fresh herbs into spheres. Cover them with a layer of mashed potatoes and give them a coating of bread crumbs. Deep fry until golden and crunchy. Serve them with your leftover homemade gravy. What’s not to love about that?
The list of ingredients is simple – most of which are leftovers.
- Stuffing – if chunky, broken down to a fine crumble
- Cooked turkey – finely chopped white and/or dark meat
- Parmesan cheese – finely grated
- Chopped fresh parsley, sage & thyme
- Mashed potatoes – cold from the fridge
- All-purpose flour – regular or gluten-free
- Large eggs – lightly beaten
- Bread crumbs – or Panko, regular or gluten-free
- Oil for frying – Peanut oil works well
- Turkey gravy – for dipping
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
The ingredients should be chopped as finely as possible to aid in forming the spheres. I have this awesome Kitchen-Aid food chopper that does the job nicely.
- In a large bowl, combine the stuffing, turkey, parmesan cheese and herbs.
- Mix until well blended.
- Use your hands to combine the mixture as you would when making meatballs.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form 1 1/2 inch balls.
- As you form them, place them on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Transfer the tray to the freezer and let set for 30 minutes.
- Set up an assembly line that includes four bowls lined in a row.
- Fill the first bowl with very cold mashed potatoes.
- The second bowl holds the flour.
- Add the lightly beaten eggs to the third bowl.
- Fill the fourth bowl with the bread crumbs.
- Remove the formed stuffing balls from the freezer.
- Wrap about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mashed potato around each.
- My vintage ice cream scoop is the perfect size for this task.
- Make sure you are working with cold mashed potatoes for easy handling.
- Work quickly as you cup the ball in the palm of your hand to ensure the potatoes form an even coating.
If you run out of mashed potatoes to cover all of the stuffing balls, follow the same directions to coat them in bread crumbs. Fry along with the others (they’ll need less time) and enjoy.
- Gently roll each ball in flour and then transfer it to the egg bowl.
- Using your hands or a fork, roll the ball around to cover it in egg.
- Finally dip and cover the ball in bread crumbs.
- Place each ball on the parchment lined baking sheet.
- Continue forming the remaining balls.
- Fill a pan with enough oil to fully submerge the spheres.
- Heat the oil to 365°F.
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels or a wire rack.
- Working in batches, drop 3 to 4 balls into the oil.
- Fry until balls are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain.
- Continue deep frying remaining balls.
- Adjust heat as needed to keep oil at a consistent 365°F.
Your Leftover Turkey Feast Balls are ready to be devoured.
- Serve immediately with heated leftover gravy.
- If desired, garnish the balls with parsley, additional finely grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
To refresh, place on a tray and heat uncovered in a 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
leftover turkey feast balls
Adapted from Real Food by Dad
Form your leftover stuffing, turkey, parmesan cheese & fresh herbs into spheres. Cover them with a layer of mashed potatoes and give them a coating of bread crumbs. Deep fry until golden and crunchy. Serve them with your leftover homemade gravy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups stuffing (broken down to fine pieces)
- 3/4 cup cooked turkey, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated (plus more for garnish, if desired)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish, if desired)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 4 to 5 cups very cold mashed potatoes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (regular or gluten-free)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups bread crumbs or panko (regular or gluten-free)
- oil for frying, enough to totally submerge balls (peanut oil or olive oil)
- 2 cups turkey gravy, for dipping
- pinch of red pepper flakes, for garnish (if desired)
Instructions
-
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the stuffing, turkey, parmesan cheese and herbs. Mix until well blended. It can be helpful to use your hands to combine the mixture as you would when making meatballs. Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form 1 1/2 inch balls. As you form them, place them on parchment lined baking sheet. Transfer the tray to the freezer and let set for 30 minutes.
-
Set up an assembly line that includes four bowls lined in a row. Fill the first bowl with very cold mashed potatoes, the second bowl with flour, the third bowl with the lightly beaten eggs and the fourth bowl with the bread crumbs.
Remove the formed stuffing balls from the freezer and wrap about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mashed potato around each. Make sure you are working with cold mashed potatoes for easy handling. Work quickly as you cup the ball in the palm of your hand to ensure the potatoes form an even coating.
-
Gently roll each ball in flour and then transfer it to the egg bowl. Using your hands or a fork, roll the ball around to cover it in egg. Finally dip and cover the ball in bread crumbs. Place each ball on the parchment lined baking sheet and continue forming the remaining balls.
-
Fill a pan with enough oil to fully submerge the spheres. Heat the oil to 365°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels or a wire rack. Working in batches, drop 3 to 4 balls into the oil and fry until balls are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Continue deep frying remaining balls. Adjust heat as needed to keep oil at a consistent 365°F.
-
Serve immediately with heated leftover gravy. If desired, garnish the balls with parsley, additional finely grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
To refresh, place on a tray and heat uncovered in a 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
If you run out of mashed potatoes to cover all of the stuffing balls, follow the same directions to coat them in bread crumbs. Fry along with the others (they'll need less time) and enjoy.
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