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Georgia · Samegrelo

Megrelian Satsivi (Roasted Turkey in Thick Walnut Sauce)

Make Megrelian satsivi with roasted turkey under a dense walnut, garlic and spice paste, served chilled or cool

Georgian home recipeGeorgian dish
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Wide view of roasted turkey under dense walnut paste on an ivory platter on a wooden table.
Yield6 servings
Serving basisOne sixth of the turkey and walnut paste; about 250 g raw turkey and 50 g walnuts per serving
DifficultyIntermediate; roast poultry and work a dense walnut paste
Dietary classificationContains turkey and walnuts (tree nuts)
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The dish

About Megrelian Satsivi (Roasted Turkey in Thick Walnut Sauce)

Roasted turkey covered with a dense walnut, garlic and spice paste from Samegrelo

Megrelian satsivi pairs roasted turkey with a thick walnut mixture that clings to each piece. In this Samegrelo style, walnuts are worked with garlic and spices until they release their oil, then pressed over the roasted turkey. Satsivi is also made elsewhere in western Georgia, so this measured home version represents one regional style rather than a single universal formula.

Finely ground walnuts form the body of the paste. Garlic, blue fenugreek, coriander and a little clove bring a savoury aroma; white wine vinegar gives it a quiet tang. Add cool water sparingly as you work the mixture so it binds while staying dense rather than becoming a pourable sauce.

Roast the turkey until its thickest part reaches a safe temperature, then spread the walnut paste over the cooled pieces. Chill the dish ahead so the paste settles around the meat. Serve it cold or cool, keeping it refrigerated until it reaches the table.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Roasted turkey covered with a dense walnut, garlic and spice paste from Samegrelo

Roasted turkey

  • 1.5 kgboneless turkey thighs, skin on, divided into six similarly thick pieces
  • 15 mlneutral sunflower oil
  • 8 gfine salt
  • 1 gground black pepper

Thick walnut paste

  • 300 gshelled walnuts, finely ground
  • 20 ggarlic, about 6 cloves, finely grated or crushed
  • 4 gground coriander
  • 3 gground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
  • 0.2 gground cloves, a small pinch
  • 0.5 gmild ground red pepper
  • 6 gfine salt
  • 30 mlwhite wine vinegar
  • Up to 120 ml cold potable water, measured; add gradually as needed to bind the paste
Method

Method

  1. Heat the oven and season the turkey. Heat a conventional oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Arrange the turkey pieces in a rimmed roasting tray. Rub them with the sunflower oil, 8 g salt and black pepper. Keep the raw poultry and its juices away from the ready-to-eat walnut paste and clean equipment.

  2. Roast to temperature. Roast for about 35–45 minutes, turning the pieces once if needed for even browning. Check the centre of the thickest piece with a clean instant-read thermometer; it must reach at least 74 °C. The time is an estimate, not a doneness test.

  3. Grind and season the walnuts. While the turkey roasts, grind the walnuts to a fine meal without processing them into butter. Put them in a sturdy bowl or mortar with the garlic, coriander, blue fenugreek, cloves, red pepper and 6 g salt.

  4. Work the paste. Knead the walnut mixture firmly by hand or with a pestle for several minutes, until it looks moist and begins to release walnut oil. Add the vinegar, then drizzle in cold water a little at a time, working after each addition. Stop when the paste is cohesive and thick enough to press onto the turkey; do not thin it into a pourable sauce. You may not need all the measured water.

  5. Coat and chill. Transfer the cooked turkey to a clean tray and cool promptly. When cool enough to handle, slice each piece on a clean board. Spread and press the walnut paste over the turkey. Divide the dish between shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at or below 4 °C. Chill for at least 4 hours, then keep refrigerated until serving.

  6. Serve and store. Arrange the chilled turkey on a clean platter. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, use them within 3–4 days and reheat to 74 °C if serving hot. Do not leave the platter at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Practical guidance

Practical guidance

The defining feature of this version is the contrast between roasted turkey and a dense walnut paste. Work the walnuts firmly with the garlic and spices before adding liquid; the mixture becomes moister as the nuts release their oil. Add vinegar and water gradually, stopping as soon as the paste holds together and can be pressed onto the meat.

Turkey pieces vary in thickness, so allow roughly 35–45 minutes in the oven and rely on a thermometer for safety. If one piece is ready before another, move it to a clean tray and continue roasting the thicker pieces until each reaches 74 °C.

Make the satsivi ahead and chill it in shallow covered containers. Keep it refrigerated while serving and return leftovers promptly to the refrigerator. Ghomi or mchadi can be served alongside, but they are not part of this recipe or its nutrition estimate.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: One sixth of the recipe; about 250 g raw turkey and 50 g walnuts before cooking
  • Energy: ~620 kcal
  • Carbohydrate: 8 g
  • Protein: 61 g
  • Fat: 41 g
  • Fibre: 3 g
  • Sodium: ~1,250 mg

Approximate values for one sixth of the recipe, estimated from the ingredients and all added salt. The turkey estimate is based on meat without skin, so actual energy and fat may be higher. Turkey products and salt retention vary.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains walnuts (tree nuts). Prevent walnut cross-contact for anyone with a tree-nut allergy. Check vinegar labels if sulfites are a concern. Keep raw turkey and its juices separate from the walnut paste, cooked food and clean utensils; do not rinse raw poultry. Check the centre of the thickest turkey piece with a clean thermometer and cook it to at least 74 °C. Refrigerate the dish within 2 hours in shallow containers at or below 4 °C. Use leftovers within 3–4 days and reheat them to 74 °C if serving hot.

Serving cues

Serving cues

  • The turkey is browned and fully cooked; the thick walnut paste clings to the pieces instead of pooling around them.
  • Knead the walnuts with garlic and spices before adding liquid, then add vinegar and water sparingly so the paste stays dense.
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