Servings
Font
Back
0 from 0 votes

Crock Pot Turkey Meatballs

Crock Pot turkey meatballs are healthy, homemade, and cook easily in a slow cooker. Get the freezer-friendly Italian meatballs recipe here!

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 36 mins
Servings: 38 1 1/2-inch meatballs
Calories: 65 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian , American

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup non-fat milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 20 ounces 93% lean ground turkey (1.3 pounds)
  • 12 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage
  • ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs plus 2 tablespoons
  • ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan pecorino, or asiago cheese, plus additional for serving
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 jars prepared tomato pasta sauce (24 ounce jars) (choose something with good flavor that you love) or homemade
For Serving:
  • Prepared whole wheat pasta sub-style buns, polenta, or enjoy alone as an appetizer

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until evenly combined. Add the ground turkey, turkey sausage, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lightly mix with a fork or your fingers, just until combined, being careful not to compact the meat. With a scoop or spoon, scoop the meat, then shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets. (You will have about 38 meatballs total).
  3. Bake the meatballs for 3 minutes, remove the pans from the oven and flip the meatballs, then return the pans to the oven, switching each pan from bottom to top. Bake 3 additional minutes, then remove from the oven. The exterior of the meatballs should be lightly browned, but they will not be cooked through.
  4. Lightly coat a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Arrange a layer of meatballs over the bottom, pour on half the sauce, then stack any remaining meatballs on top. Pour on the remaining sauce. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Serve warm with pasta, on buns, over polenta, or enjoy alone as an appetizer.

Notes

  • To freeze AFTER the meatballs have been cooked: Freeze with sauce for up to two months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • To freeze BEFORE the meatballs have been cooked: Complete the broiling portion, then bake the meatballs at 350 degrees F until cooked through. Freeze separately from the sauce. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then place in the slow cooker, top with sauce, and cook as directed.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1meatball (with 1.25 ounces sauce) Calories 65kcal (3%) Carbohydrates 4g (1%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 3g (5%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 34mg (11%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 381 1/2-inch meatballs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 65

% Daily Value*

Serving 1meatball (with 1.25 ounces sauce)
Calories 65kcal 3%
Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 34mg 11%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.