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Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs
Servings
25
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
330 minutes
Ingredients
-
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
-
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus more to season)
- 3 large cloves garlic (smashed and peeled)
1 3-inch piece Parmesan cheese rind
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
-
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 pound ground dark turkey meat
- 1 pound spicy Italian turkey sausage links (casings removed)
For the Sauce:
For the Meatballs:
Instructions
- For the Sauce: In a 4 quart slow cooker, add the cans of tomato, dried oregano, salt, pepper and garlic cloves. Stir to combine and set aside.
- For the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, egg, and garlic. Using a wooden spoon, stir to blend. Add the ground turkey and sausage meat. Using your fingers, gently mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop, form the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (24 to 26 meatballs).
- Add the meatballs to the slow cooker with the tomato mixture. If you need to make a second layer of meatballs, gently press on the first layer to submerge and add the next layer on top. It's okay if they aren't fully covered in sauce.
- Nestle the parmesan rind into the sauce. Cover and cook for 5 hours on high. After the 5 hours, remove the cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high to reduce the sauce slightly. Serve with freshly grated parmesan.
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 25
- per serving
- Calories
- 98
Amount/Serving
% Daily Value
- Carbs
- 7 grams
- Protein
- 11 grams
- Fat
- 3 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 1 grams
- Cholestrol
- 36 milligrams
- Sodium
- 314 milligrams
- Fiber
- 1 grams
- Sugar
- 3 grams
6 comments
Makes an incredible sauce to go with these awesome meatballs. Hard to find turkey sausage so a few times i have used chicken sausage which absolutely works.
Amazing and delicious, best meatballs I have ever made! I did use lean ground turkey instead of dark meat, delicious and healthy! I can't wait to share this recipe and to make it again, thank you Giada 💗
For Sauce: Added some dried Basil along with Oregano, about same amount. Started sauce in slow cooker on HIGH to give it a head start, then worked on meatballs. For Meatballs: I used 2 large eggs for the amount of meat. I added 1/2 CUP of finely chopped fresh parsley. Meatballs were placed on parchment lined baking sheet as they were for,Ed and went into freezer for about 20 mins to firm up as I worried they would disintegrate in the sauce. Meatballs cooked in sauce on HIGH FOR 30 mins, then turned to LOW and cooked for about 4.5 hours. Perfectly tender, not dried out! Was a big hit all! If I wasn’t going to be present to turn down to LOW, I would start them at LOW after adding to sauce.
What a crowd pleaser. I've shared this recipe with half a dozen people because everyone loves it.
Where can I find spicy Italian turkey sausage? Any subs? This looks amazing and I know my family would love it!
Hands down one of my family's favorite slow cooker recipes — so easy and quick to make and such a delicious, warm meal to come home too.