Fragrant flavours of cinnamon, coriander, and cumin lend a warm spiciness to these meatball skewers made from ground turkey. Serve them on their own as part of a larger meal, or take them a step further by adding some grilled veggies and wrapping them in a pita for a portable handheld meal.
Skewer skills
You’ll benefit from additional flavour and save time if you prepare meatballs in advance. But hold off making up the skewers until just before cooking, since if they’re made up too early, the meat tends to pull away from the skewer, making it difficult to manoeuvre them while on the grill.
As you assemble skewers, squeeze meatballs around the skewer slightly with your hands so they “grab” onto the skewer and the other meatballs. When moving skewers on the grill, think of rolling them over, versus lifting and flipping them.
And don’t forget to soak wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes before you assemble them.
Ground oats
Instead of the usual bread crumbs, use rolled oats and you’ll reduce your sodium intake significantly. Grind them up by blitzing them quickly in the food processor until they’re the texture of fine bread crumbs.
Turkey Meatball Skewers with Cinnamon, Coriander, and Cumin
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) ground turkey thigh meat
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) coriander
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped curly parsley
- 1 organic egg, lightly beaten
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) ground rolled oats (see tip)
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Nutrition
Per serving:
Directions
01
In medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients with fork. Using a tablespoon measure, or a melon baller or cookie scoop of same size, scoop and roll mixture into balls. Refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 4 hours.
02
Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking. When ready to grill, place 4 balls on each of 6 moistened wooden skewers. Wipe any excess turkey from tip of the skewer with a small piece of kitchen roll or clean cloth. Grill skewers on grill preheated to 350 F (180 C), with lid closed, for approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165 F (75 C). Serve immediately.
Helena McMurdo is a writer, food stylist, and photographer based in Vancouver.
