Saucy Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs

Dish of slow cooker meatballs on a white plate with a fork and crusty bread

Who doesn’t love a meatball? They’re flavorful, satisfying, and can be healthy, too. While plenty of meatballs can be demanding of the cook, these Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs are an exception. Get a pot of these going in the morning and you will have a warm, nourishing crock pot supper to look forward to.

Weekday Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs

At home we call these Saucy Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs (full disclosure, the name is often truncated to just “saucy balls”). They’re about as easy as it gets as far as meatballs go. What’s appealing about the recipe is that you don’t have to brown the meatballs before adding them to the sauce. You plunk them uncooked in the sauce, which makes for a very tender meatball when the time is up.

Turkey meatballs in a slow cooker with a white spoon

Easy Meatballs to Assemble

Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, you can bang out these slow cooker meatballs in the time it might take your kids to get through breakfast. That’s when I make this, in the morning before school. The recipe is adapted from Skinny Taste, a blog written by Gina Homolka, who does a clever job of making healthy food look and taste gorgeous.

Truth? These slow cooker turkey meatballs aren’t quite as skinny as Gina’s, since I snuck a sausage link in there for a little added flavor. And I’ve skipped the step of sautéing an onion because I want to keep this recipe as pared down as possible.   

Buy Better Breadcrumbs

Be thoughtful about the seasoned breadcrumbs you buy. Read the label, looking for whole grain options and avoiding ones with junkie ingredients. If you can’t find seasoned breadcrumbs, you can buy plain and season them yourselves with about 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, and kosher salt. 

You can turn up the nourishment by adding a few cups of kale or other leafy greens to the sauce when the meatballs are nearly done and let them cook just long enough to go tender.

How to Serve Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs  

In our house, we usually serve meatballs in shallow bowls with crusty bread for mopping up sauce and a chunk of good Parmesan to grate at the table. Of course, it’s terrific over pasta or polenta as well.

No, these are not the aunties’ meatballs, but they’re meatballs for goodness sake. And, it’ll only take you, what, 15 minutes to make? After that, just let the slow cooker do its magic.

Turkey meatballs on a vintage blue plate with Parmesan cheese

Can you Freezer these Meatballs?

In a word: Yes! Let them cool and then transfer to a covered container or freezer bag with the air pressed out. You can defrost them in the fridge and then warm them on the stove or in the slow cooker. Alternatively, transfer directly from freezer to crock pot and reheat on low or high

If you like these Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs, check out:

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Vegetables

Slow Cooker Chicken Marbella

Balsamic Chicken done in the Slow Cooker 

Moroccan Chicken from Simply Recipes

Crock Pot Tortilla-less Soup from Smart in the Kitchen 

white dish with slow cooker turkey meatballs and crusty bread
5 from 4 votes
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Saucy Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs

To make this truly a one-dish-meal, you can add two to three cups of roughly chopped raw vegetables to the pot when the meatballs are nearly done and cook until tender. Broccoli or any dark leafy greens work well. Any leftover meatballs can be sliced into coins and piled onto a baguette with cheese, greens, and a spoonful of sauce.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 5 to 6 servings
Calories 322 kcal
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
  • One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons teaspoons dried garlic (or 2 large garlic cloves, minced)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust amount up or down for spiciness)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Meatballs

  • 1 link uncooked spicy Italian turkey sausage, about 1/4 to 1/3 pound (or pork if you can't find turkey)
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to add at the table
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. For the sauce, pour the whole tomatoes in the slow cooker. Squeeze with your hands to break them into smaller pieces. Add the diced tomatoes, garlic, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt, to the slow cooker. Stir well.

  2. For the meatballs, split the sausage casing down the center using a sharp knife. Turn the sausage meat out of the casing into a medium bowl. Add the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients just until evenly combined, being sure the sausage meat is distributed throughout (try not to overmix).

  3. Scoop up about 1 1/2 tablespoons of meat and roll it between your hands to form little globes that are the size of a small golf ball. Add it to the slow cooker and continue with the remaining meat until you have about 20 meatballs. Nestle the meatballs down into the sauce so they are almost completely submerged. 

  4. Set the slow cooker to high and cook until firm and cooked through, 4 hours on high, 7 to 8 hours on low.

  5. Serve in shallow bowls with Parmesan cheese to garnish and crusty bread for dipping.

Adapted from a recipe by Skinny Taste

Comments

09.17.2012 at8:36 AM #

Cynthia

Can’t wait to try this Katie! Your other slow cooker recipe (the chicken w/chard) is the best slow cooker dish I have come across. So many slow cooker dishes end up tasting the same but this one, like your other, promises to be a cut above. Big thanks from a more-than-full-time working mom,
Cynthia

09.17.2012 at8:36 AM #

Katie Morford

Thanks Cynthia…and I agree…a lot of slow cooker recipes are sort of “one note” in terms of flavor. Let me know how you like this one!

09.17.2012 at6:09 PM #

Kim

Is it okay to cook for much longer? Unfortunately on some weekdays I’m away from the house for 9-10 hours before rushing home to get a yummy and healthy dinner on the table for the fam! I would love to prep this in the morning before heading to work.

09.17.2012 at6:09 PM #

Katie Morford

My guess is that they’d be ok….but without trying it, I can’t be sure. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!

09.17.2012 at6:09 PM #

Kim @ She Wines Sometimes

I realize this question was asked a long time ago, but I thought I’d chime in and let you know that I left these meatballs on low for a little more than 10 hours, and they turned out perfectly. I was worried they would fall apart, so I added some extra breadcrumbs, and they were awesome and held up really well!

09.18.2012 at11:05 PM #

kim connector

I love the idea of adding the sausage for a little added UMPH and I was looking for a slow cooker recipe for the week- Thanks! I like to make rosemary and ground lamb meatballs- how does that stack up to turkey and ground chuck/sirloin nutritionally?

09.18.2012 at11:05 PM #

Katie Morford

Hi Kim, I too love ground lamb. Nutritionally, it is likely to be fattier than turkey and beef, particularly since you often have a choice as to how much fat you want in turkey or beef whereas with lamb, it’s usually just one option. From an environmental standpoint, it’s my understand that lamb is a little easier on the planet than cattle. All that being said, delicious lamb meatballs in the context of a healthy diet … absolutely.

09.27.2012 at11:19 PM #

Laura

Hi Katie: We tried these and they were great. We added zuchinni and summer squash as our vegetables. Thanks!

09.27.2012 at11:19 PM #

Katie Morford

Your welcome…thanks so much for letting me know. I love that!

10.11.2012 at8:39 AM #

Sara Marshall

I made this and it was AWESOME! love them

10.11.2012 at8:39 AM #

Katie Morford

Hi Sara,

Great. Glad to hear it and thanks for sharing!

10.11.2012 at10:49 AM #

Trina Robertson

Katie, made this into sub sandwiches and they were a hit. I added frozen spinach and next time I’ll shred carrots and zucchini into the sauce too.

10.11.2012 at10:49 AM #

Katie Morford

Great ideas, Trina!

02.01.2013 at7:47 PM #

Steve

Absolutely delicious – made exactly as is.

A new go to recipe!!

02.01.2013 at7:47 PM #

Katie Morford

Awesome. Glad you liked it.

02.19.2013 at6:08 PM #

Kristina

Fabulous! So easy to throw together and so so good!! This is coming from a terrible cook : ) thanks for such a great recipe!

02.19.2013 at6:08 PM #

Katie Morford

Hi Kristina…So glad you liked it. Crazy easy. I bet you are a better cook than you give yourself credit for 🙂

02.26.2013 at5:16 PM #

Kim @ She Wines Sometimes

These turkey meatballs were fantastic! My red meat loving fiancé loved them and couldn’t believe they were made with turkey. They are definitely our new favorite crock pot recipe, and he’s requested that I make them in bulk to freeze and eat regularly! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

02.26.2013 at5:16 PM #

Katie Morford

Thanks for telling me, Kim. Great idea to make extra and pop them in the freezer…I’m stealing that one for sure.

12.30.2013 at2:11 PM #

Shannon

I am catering to someone who is has a gluten intolerance. Any suggestions instead of the breadcrumbs?

12.30.2013 at2:11 PM #

Katie Morford

You can find gluten-free breadcrumbs in many markets. There are even gluten-free Italian breadcrumbs. If you can find neither, you can make your own using gluten-free bread. You may want to boost the ground garlic and add some Italian seasoning such as dried basil and oregano to your meat if you aren’ using Italian breadcrumbs.

04.09.2014 at7:19 AM #

Cassandra

Hi Katie!

I tried this recipe last night and I’m so happy that I did. The meatballs came out perfectly and it was very easy to put together. I had it for dinner last night and I already can’t wait to dig into the leftovers I brought for lunch today. Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂

P.S I’m already getting other people to give this recipe a try

04.09.2014 at7:19 AM #

Katie Morford

Yay!!! Love that…and very much appreciate you passing it on.

10.18.2014 at6:09 AM #

Kelly

My husband is a beef eater, I am a turkey eater. So I combined the two, otherwise following your recipe. This was a huge hit with our family! Toddler approved too. They also freeze really well. Thank you! Headed to the store to make another batch :).

10.18.2014 at6:09 AM #

Katie Morford

Oh great, Kelly. What a perfect solution for you two. I think mixing meats in meatballs makes them particularly delicious.

10.19.2014 at9:20 PM #

Renu

Hi Katie,

My son is allergic to eggs, can I use anything or leave out the egg?

10.19.2014 at9:20 PM #

Katie Morford

Hi there,

That’s tricky. The egg works as a binder for the meatballs…but I have a feeling that if you handle them gently, they will stay together. I’ve also heard of people using ground flax meal mixed with water for a binder (1 to 3 ratio), but I’ve never tried it. Worse case if you simply leave the egg out is that you have spaghetti with meat sauce instead of spaghetti with meatballs. Let me know how it goes if you do make it.

10.30.2014 at8:54 PM #

Shveta Berry

Just stumbled across your blog and love it! This was the first recipe I chose to try and it was a success. So easy and delicious. I’m putting it into the slow cooker rotation. Thanks for posting it!

10.30.2014 at8:54 PM #

Katie Morford

So glad you found me. I love hearing recipe feedback, so thanks for the comment.

11.02.2014 at8:02 PM #

Ankita

Hi Katie,
Could this be made with ground chicken? If yes, what should I use for the link sausage?
Thanks
Ankita

11.02.2014 at8:02 PM #

Katie Morford

Sure, you can absolutely use ground chicken. The sausage adds nice flavor and a little spicy kick to the meatballs. If you want to stick with chicken, I’d look for a spicy chicken sausage, one that is uncooked. Alternatively, you could just use an extra 1/3 pound of ground chicken and maybe up the spices and add a pinch of crushed red pepper.

12.02.2014 at12:47 AM #

Gilly

Hi! These look great and I’m loving all the positive reviews. I would like to make these in bulk and put them in the freezer. Would you suggest baking them first before placing in the freezer and then cooking for a shorter amount of time in the sauce? Any suggestions would be great! Thank you!

12.02.2014 at12:47 AM #

Katie Morford

So, you want to make a larger batch of just the meatballs to freeze? And then, as needed make smaller batches of the meatballs in sauce in the crock pot? If that’s what you are asking, I’m always a little hesitant to make suggestions when I haven’t tried something myself, BUT, here’s what I’d probably do…I’d make the meatballs, put them in the freezer uncooked in one layer on a baking sheet just until frozen. Once frozen, you can then store them in a container or freezer bag without them clumping together. Then, when you want to make a pot of the meatballs in sauce, pull out the meatballs you need and follow the recipe for cooking them in the sauce. Whether or not you’d need to defrost the meatballs first, I’m not certain. You could also make and bake the meatballs and then freeze them. Let me know if you try it. I’d love to hear your results.

01.11.2015 at3:57 PM #

Crystal

I made this today, and omg! This is my new favorite recipe! Amazing!! So glad I doubled it 🙂

01.11.2015 at3:57 PM #

Katie Morford

So glad you like it, especially since you doubled it. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment.

01.21.2015 at12:49 PM #

Miranda

This looks so delicious! Any ideas what the nutrition counts are for the recipe?

01.20.2016 at11:52 AM #

Julie Radtke

I’ve made this 4-5 times now and just wanted to say THANK YOU for sharing this recipe! It’s become part of our regular rotation. I use dried parsley and basil for convenience and ease. I often use bottled spaghetti sauce like Rao’s. It always turns out great. Thanks again!

01.20.2016 at11:52 AM #

Katie Morford

Yay! love those kind of comments. Thank you for taking the time.

02.08.2016 at5:12 PM #

Aline Pilani

Hello Katie. i really like your recipes… I will always check out your updates!!

Thank you budy!

01.04.2017 at7:02 PM #

Ann Guanciale

Hi Katie,
Saw your post today and had to make these! What a great after the holidays, easy recipe. I had leftover Italian bread from New years day brunch and cooked some fresh green beans, it was a hit!
Thank you!

01.04.2017 at7:02 PM #

Katie Morford

Yay! My favorite kind of comment. Thanks for taking the time to tell me. Happy New Year.

02.22.2018 at2:12 PM #

Marilyn Wright Yon, MS, RD, LD

I am going to try these in next week’s menu. My 4 year old requested spaghetti and meatballs this week (surprising since she usually shuns meatballs) so I remembered seeing your slow cooker turkey meatballs. I have enjoyed many of your recipes in recent weeks.

02.22.2018 at2:12 PM #

Katie Morford

I hope you like them. They are popular in my house!

07.15.2019 at2:09 AM #

Eve Hunt

I made this on the stove top with slightly less sugar and I was amazed at how delicious this recipe was. Will definitely be making again and again. Thank you!

03.30.2022 at3:13 AM #

Susan V.

I’ve made this twice now. The whole family loves it! Easy and delicious. Followed the recipe exactly, except used dried parsley because that was what I had on hand. Not many recipes get put on repeat in our house, so this one is a clear winner.

03.30.2022 at3:13 AM #

Katie Morford

That is music to my ears! Thanks for taking the time to share.

04.26.2022 at10:52 AM #

Patricia Laidler

THis is the best crockpot recipe I’ve ever come across in fifty years of crockpotting!
Now that I’m cooking for one, I make this once a week for dinners and lunches. It’s easy, delicious, comforting.

04.26.2022 at10:52 AM #

Katie Morford

Wow! that’s quite an endorsement. Thank you so much!

10.11.2022 at8:52 AM #

Andre Filion

Easy to make and excellent taste.

10.11.2022 at8:52 AM #

Katie Morford

Love to hear it! Thanks.

10.11.2022 at8:52 AM #

Katie Morford

Yay! Glad you like this one.

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