This is my simple and classic family recipe for slow cooker turkey meatballs in marinara sauce. Theyโre easy to prep, extra tender, and seasoned just right. To really lock in the flavor and moisture, I recommend quickly pan-searing the meatballs on the stove before finishing them in the slow cooker. These saucy turkey meatballs are so versatileโenjoy them in meatball sandwiches, on their own alongside a salad and cheese breadsticks, or, naturally, on top of spaghetti!
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
Turkey meatballs are a satisfying, feel-good, fill-you-up kind of dish that can feed a number of people and doesn’t require much prep work. And if you appreciate the convenience of using a slow cooker for chicken and corn soup, slow cooker chicken chili, turkey chili, and honey teriyaki chicken, youโll love it even more for these turkey meatballs.
One reader, Isabel, commented: โThese were sooo good! I made them last night for my family and they were tender and filled with flavor. Will definitely make again! I also cooked these on high for 4 hours and it worked perfectly. โ โ โ โ โ โ
Another reader, Jennifer, commented: “Healthy. easy. make ahead. satisfyingโฆโฆ SO FREAKING DELICIOUS! โ โ โ โ โ โ
Tell Me About These Turkey Meatballs
- Flavor: Garlic, onion, and a little parmesan cheese together add heaps of flavor to this slow cooker dinner recipe. Add some herbs and a little salt & pepper round the flavors out. These flavor additions are pantry staplesโyou donโt need anything fancy here.
- Texture: By using lean ground turkey, weโre able to keep the meatballs light, moist, tender, and still full of flavor. Compared to many recipes, the meatball mixture is light on the breadcrumbs. Too much can take away from the meatballโs melt-in-your-mouth texture, so add just enough to help bind.
- Ease: This uncomplicated, unfussy meal doesn’t require much work. Besides some chopping and shaping the meatballs, there’s brief cooking on the stove, but then the slow cooker takes over, just like with these slow cooker BBQ meatballs.
These delicious turkey meatballs will get you all the compliments without all the work. It’s no surprise that it tops my 30 delicious fall dinner recipe ideas and my 40+ Super Bowl recipes.
You Need These Ingredients:
For the meatballs, use about 93% lean, 7% fat ground turkey. You could use ground beef or chicken instead, if you prefer. You also need an egg to bind the ingredients together. Breadcrumbs are another binding agent, and you can use panko, regular, whole wheat, Italian seasoned (you could make your own with homemade croutons), or even gluten free.
You also need fresh parmesan cheese, garlic, and seasonings. You’ll use garlic in the homemade marinara-style sauce, too.
Mix everything together, and then roll the mixture into balls.
Sear the Meatballs First
We can skip pan-searing when making chicken meatballs that bake in the oven, but this step is necessary for today’s recipe. Gently searing the turkey meatballs in a skillet on the stove browns the exteriors and seals in all the juicy moisture. (Flavor, flavor, flavor!) If you skip this step, the meatballs will just crumble apart in the crockpot.
This step only takes about 10โ15 minutes total, and then itโs the slow cookerโs turn to take over.
Marinara Sauce for Turkey Meatballs
I like to keep the sauce simple because these flavorful turkey meatballs are the star of the show. You need some cans of crushed tomatoes, a little tomato paste for thickening the sauce, and some chopped sweet onion and seasoning for flavor.
You can use plain crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted, or the kind with basilโjust avoid using reduced-salt or no-salt-added varieties. This slow cooker recipe makes a lot of sauce, which is perfect for making magnificently messy meatball subs, or if youโre serving your meatballs over spaghetti.
Layer the onion, half of the crushed tomatoes, and the tomato paste into the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the seared turkey meatballs on top, then pour the remaining crushed tomatoes over the meatballs. Add in the remaining seasonings, give it all a stir, and your work here is done! Pop that lid on and let the slow cooker do its thing.
You can cook on low for about 6โ7 hours, or speed things up by cooking on high for about 4 hours.
A Helpful Make-Ahead Dinner Recipe
There are many ways to get a jump on dinner with this turkey meatballs recipe. Having company over tomorrow? Brown the meatballs as instructed and keep them in the refrigerator until the following day, then transfer them to the slow cooker. Or freeze now to enjoy during the colder months. Or cook today, then reheat tomorrow just before dinnertime.
Serve Turkey Meatballs With:
- Spaghetti & fresh green salad
- Zucchini noodles
- Homemade garlic bread
- Homemade dinner rolls
- Breadsticks
- 4-ingredient artisan bread
- Hearty rolls for meatball subs
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours, 35 minutes
- Yield: 30-34 meatballs
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my favorite recipe for classic slow cooker turkey meatballs in a homemade marinara-style sauce. Theyโre easy to prep, extra tender, and seasoned just right.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 lbs. (907g) 93% lean ground turkey*
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup (40g) panko breadcrumbs*
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Sauce
- 3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
- 2 28-ounce (794g each) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 6-ounce (170g) can tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to 1/4 for less heat)
- 2 bay leaves
- optional for serving: chopped basil, parsley, and/or fresh parmesan cheese
Instructions
- With a large spoon or spatula, mix together all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl until just combinedโavoid overmixing.
- Scoop a portion of the mixture, about 2 Tablespoons (30โ35g) in size, roll into a ball with your hands, and place on a baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining mixture. You should have around 30โ34 meatballs. Set aside.
- Grease a (4-quart or larger) slow cooker with nonstick spray (or a drizzle of olive oil). Place the onions in the slow cooker, then pour 1 can of crushed tomatoes over top of the onions. Add in the tomato paste and garlic, and stir gently to combine.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then add in a Tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches, sear the meatballs (about 6โ8 meatballs at a time, or however many fit in your skillet) for about 1 minute on each side, until browned. Place the browned meatballs in the slow cooker. Once all browned meatballs have been added to the slow cooker, pour the remaining can of crushed tomatoes on top, and add in the crushed red pepper flakes and bay leaves.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6โ7 hours. (You can also cook on high for about 4 hours if that works better for your day.) Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Serve warm meatballs with sauce over your choice of pasta, in a sub roll, or on their own. Top with chopped basil, parsley, or fresh parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare meatballs through the browning step; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 2 months. Add to slow cooker along with sauce ingredients and cook as directed (no need to thaw). OR you can fully prepare 1 day in advance, refrigerate, then reheat in the slow cooker on low for 45 minutes or until warmed. Freeze cooked meatballs in sauce in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating as desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Baking Sheet | Slow Cooker (4 quarts or larger) such as this one or this oneย | Skillet
- No Slow Cooker? No Problem! Prepare as directed, but instead of a slow cooker, use a large pot on the stove. Simmer the browned meatballs over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are cooked through, 25โ35 minutes.
- Turkey: I always use 93% lean ground turkey, but you can make these meatballs with ground beef, chicken, or pork if you prefer. If you use extra-lean turkey, the meatballs can taste a bit dry.
- Breadcrumbs: I prefer panko for texture, but you may use plain, Italian seasoned, whole-wheat, or homemade dry breadcrumbs instead. To make your own: Trim the crusts off 2 slices of stale bread. Cut or tear bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Spread breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250ยฐF (121ยฐC) until dry, about 12โ14 minutes. This makes about 2/3 cup crumbs.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I posted about this but (I’m a newbie) I think I did it in the wrong place. We loved the Baked Chicken Meatballs so we decided to try the BBQ Turkey meatballs. I am going to have to triple the recipe! My husband loved them, I barely got any and of course there were no leftovers! This recipe was so easy. I’m trying to eat less red meat so this is a great recipe for me. Didn’t miss the ground beef at all.
I haven’t made these yet, but made your slow cooker bbq turkey meat balls with oatmeal instead of panko for gluten free. Big success!
In your subs section you don’t mention that. Is that a recommended sub for these as well?
Hi Fran! We would look for GF breadcrumbs, but you can certainly try oats.
I always double the meatball recipe and freeze 1/2 for another day. It is so easy to make dinner with the meatballs already made
Help! I love the flavor of these, but mine totally fell apart when I was trying to sear them. They were not crumbling, they were just too soft/moist to hold their shape when I tried to turn them over in the pan. I followed the recipe as written with the exception of plain bread crumbs instead of panko. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Leslie! Meatballs will fall apart if there’s too much moisture. Did you use 93% lean meat? Could your egg have been extra large? You can try adding extra breadcrumbs next time if the mixture seems too loose!
So easy to make in advance! I make these everytime my kids and their families are coming. I like that the onions are chunked in the sauce and easily removed for my picky eaters. Reheating in the crockpot makes it convenient for travelers coming at different and uncertain times for meatball sliders.
this was awesome. I had my doubts – I love meatballs but don’t make them because of the fat content in the ground chuck. So this was perfect! I was also surprised at the sauce. I usually use a family recipe from my Italian uncle – well… his IS the best but the sauce made in the cooker was definitely a good second. I did add more romano cheese to the sauce.. Anyway, thrilled to find this and will make it again!!
Why wouldnโt you sear the meatballs if you use ground chicken instead? Would you just put them in the sauce and cook them?
Hi Cindy, If you are using ground chicken for this slow cooker recipe, you will still sear the meatballs first. If you are making our different recipe for baked chicken meatballs those are baked in the oven so you won’t sear them first. Hope that helps!
I made the meatballs but simmered them in my own homemade sauce (I jar sauce every tomato season). I forgot to add the olive oil, and they were still AMAZING. Moist with lots of flavor. Going on my regular menu. Thank you!
The flavor is good, but these are way too fragile. They donโt hold up as a meatball. Need more binding either in breadcrumbs/eggs or both.
These meatballs were way better than I thought they would be! I doubled the recipe and cooked them in a big soup pot. That wasn’t easy because the meatballs are fragile when they are only seared. I had a lot of them and needed to stir them up gently, but that was my own fault! I did use jarred sauce for half because I didn’t have enough ingredients to double the sauce. Really good and It will freeze up awesome!
I need lower sodium so why do you not suggest we use reduced.
Hi Char, you can if needed, but you’ll lose a little flavor.
Can I use fatty ground beef instead of ground turkey in these?
Hi Havah, yes, you can use the same amount of ground beef instead.
I made these for my daughter and asked how she liked them when she was eating, telling her theyโre a recipe from one of our favorites, Sallyโs Baking Addiction. She said SOOOOO GOOD, Sally doesnโt miss! And itโs true! Every recipe weโve tried is delicious perfection!
Oh thank you so much!! Great to hear that my savory/dinner recipes are also well received!
The last time I made meatballs, I vowed to never do that again. A lot of trouble for not much benefit, I thought. Then I made Sally’s meatballs and sauce. Delicious! These meatballs were worth the effort. The only thing I would do next time would be to further reduce the red pepper flakes from 1/4 tsp to 1/8 tsp, because I’m not crazy about spicy sauce. I used one pound of turkey and one pound of beef, both were 93/7%. I cooked this in a slow cooker for 3 hours on high and 1 hour on low. I am planning to put single portions in my Souper Cube and freeze them for future dinners. Thanks for a great recipe!
I am so glad this recipe changed your mind!
Could I make these smaller and use as appetizers? Would cook time be the same?
Hi Peggy, we can’t see why not! Searing time will be a bit shorter, but slow cooker time should stay about the same.
If I want to make half this recipe, do I reduce the cooking time?
Iโve made these meatballs several times and love this recipe! Thanks so much.
Hi Kathy, cooking time would still be the same for half a recipe. Glad to hear these are a favorite for you!
Hi. You state that if substituting for beef, use ground beef, which has a far higher fat content (80-85 % lean). The turkey you recommend averages out to about 95% lean. Would it be best to use 90-95% lean beef or what changes if using the fattier beef ?
Hi Mike, we recommend using a leaner ground beef, like 90-95%. It won’t make a huge difference for these meatballs. Enjoy!
Hi – what are you guys serving this with? I have a great salad and bread but doesnโt it need something like pasta? Any other suggestion? And it definitely make the day before? Thank you!
Hi Bonnie, These are fantastic over spaghetti or ziti!
Thank you Trina! Sorry but more more qโฆI just made a test batch and they werenโt really moist enoughโฆ.when weโre searing them are we doing it just to basically not let them fall apart or do we want them to be brown on the outside? (Thank you, you guys are sooo responsive!!โค๏ธ)
Hi Bonnie, you want to quickly brown the meatballs – that helps hold in the moisture.
I love this recipe! I’d like to make the meatballs without the sauce so I can use them for other recipes. I read on Sally’s post, “Freezer Meals & Snacks to prepare before baby” that she made the meatballs in the oven, without the sauce. Do you still put the sliced sweet onions on the bottom of the pan, skip the onion, or chop it up and add it to the meatball mixture? Thank you!
Hi Beth! I just skip the onion when baking them, but you could certainly add finely chopped onion to the meatball mixture if you’d like.
Just a quick question. Is 1 lb ground turkey or 2 lbs ground turkey. Has it twice
It’s two pounds total. I like to use a mix of extra lean all-natural ground turkey (around 98% lean) and lean all-natural ground turkey (around 93% lean). See above post for details!
Thank you really doesn’t seem strong enough…. Healthy. easy. make ahead. satisfying…… SO FREAKING DELICIOUS!
Subbed one can of tomato for some red peppers I roasted, roasted the onion as well. Added a little cream. Spice blend: Lemon peel, garlic, onion powder, basil, salt, black and red pepper, and sundried tomato. Different take on this, but worked beautifully!
Hi Sally, if I double this recipe in the crockpot, how long would you suggest I cook?
Should be close to the same time, maybe an hour or so longer.
Has anyone made these on high in the crockpot? How long did that take?
Rule of thumb: cook on low for 1.5 – 2 times the time recommended for high heat. Also keep in mind that high is about 300 degrees & low is 200.