I love a good pasta recipe, and I love a good slow cooker recipe. And when I can have the most perfectly tender and flavorful turkey meatballs in marinara sauce ready for me come dinnertime after simmering in the slow cooker all day, that’s a perfect meal. These meatballs are lighter than a beef meatball as they are made with a leaner protein, and since they’re made in the slow cooker you have dinner ready when you need it. Serve with your favorite pasta and a big salad on the side, and you have a meal that’s perfect for a family dinner or for entertaining friends and family.
Here’s what you need to make these slow cooker turkey meatballs:
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball Ingredients
- Ground turkey
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Eggs
- Breadcrumbs (I like to use an Italian-seasoned version)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oregano
- Basil
Sauce Ingredients
- Onion
- Tomato Sauce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Oregano
- Basil
- Thyme
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- For the sauce, it’s simple! Dice the onion and mince the garlic, and add all the sauce ingredients to your slow cooker. Give it a stir to combine.
- For the meatballs, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands. Form into meatballs with your hands then drop them into the slow cooker. No need to stir them, after they’re done cooking you can stir and they will separate.
- Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours. Serve on top of your favorite pasta (can’t beat the classic spaghetti and meatballs), and serve with a big salad and garlic bread.
Dinner has never been easier or more delicious. Perfect cozy Sunday dinner, easy enough for a weeknight, and also delicious enough for entertaining. This will be a recipe you go to again and again.
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 oz. tomato sauce
- 28 oz. diced tomatoes
- 1½ tbsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. ground dried thyme
- 1 tsp. salt + more to taste
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lbs. ground turkey
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. basil
- Pasta
- Parmesan cheese
- For the sauce, place onion, garlic, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- For the meatballs, place the ingredients in a large bowl: turkey, onion powder, garlic powder, eggs, breadcrumbs, pepper, salt, oregano, and basil. Mix with your hands, then form into meatballs and carefully add to the slow cooker. No need to stir prior to cooking, the meatballs are less likely to break apart if you wait to stir until after cooking.
- Set to high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours. Stir once they are done cooking, tastes and add more salt if needed.
- Serve over your favorite pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.
- Enjoy!
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