These easy and delicious slow cooker meatballs skip the frying pan and let your slow cooker do the work. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this crock pot meatball recipe is sure to be a hit with your family, even the picky eaters!
This slow cooker turkey meatball recipe comes from the new cookbook, “Just Cook It! 145 Built-To-Be-Easy Recipes That are Totally Delicious” by Justin Chapple. It’s a collection of 125 mouthwatering recipes like French Toast Casserole and Stovetop Mac-n-Cheese with Bacon Breadcrumbs, with Justin’s signature time-saving tips and hacks throughout. His spaghetti and meatballs recipe certainly did not disappoint!
Slow Cooker Meatball Recipe
When it comes to comfort food, it’s hard to beat meatballs made in a crockpot. Spaghetti and meatballs is such a warm and comforting meal. Everyone loves it, and I love that I can start it in the morning, and it’s ready for dinner when I am.
Can Meatballs Be Cooked In A Slow Cooker?
Good news, meatballs can be made in a slow cooker!
I actually prefer to cook my meatballs in a crockpot or slow cooker.
Will meatballs cook in sauce?
Yes, they will. Cooking your meatballs in tomato sauce or marinara sauce actually enhances their flavor and that of the sauce in my opinion.
Plus there is no denying how amazing a house smells when you’ve got meatballs in sauce cooking.
What Are Meatballs Made Of?
- Ground beef, turkey, pork or chicken, or a combo of these
- Onions
- Breadcrumbs
- Parmesan Cheese
- Parsley
- Milk
- Egg
- Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
What Meat Do You Use To Make Meatballs?
This particular recipe is for turkey meatballs, but you could swap out other meats if you like.
In general I tend to like very lean meats, however I usually avoid them when making meatballs. 70% lean is a good rule of thumb. If using ground turkey or chicken, dark meat will be the best choice.
More Crockpot and Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes:
SLOW COOKER MEATBALLS
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
- 1 small onion, half minced and half left intact (Mince with your OXO One Stop Chop)
- 3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 3 garlic cloves minced (Mince with your OXO One Stop Chop)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Kosher salt
- 3 cups good-quality marinara sauce
- 1 fresh basil sprig
- 1 pound spaghetti
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the turkey, minced onion, bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, milk, egg, garlic, pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt and mix well. Form the mixture into 16 meatballs
- Put the marinara sauce in a slow cooker. Nestle the meatballs, the onion half and the basil sprig in the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and tender. Discard the onion half and basil sprig.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a small handful of salt. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water according to package directions until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer to shallow bowls or a serving platter. Spoon the meatballs and sauce on the spaghetti.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Disclosure: OXO provided “Just Cook It!” and the One Stop Chop for me to try free of charge. All opinions are mine and mine alone.
Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
