Description
These slow cooker BBQ turkey meatballs are easy and full of flavor! An appetizer or dinner recipe solution for chilly weather days.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 pounds 92-97% lean ground turkey*
- 2/3 cup regular or gluten free Panko* (quick or whole oats work too!)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or about 1 Tablespoon minced)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 1 and 3/4 cups BBQ sauce*
- 1/2 cup store-bought Italian dressing
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Beat the egg in a large mixing bowl. Add the ground turkey, Panko, garlic, oregano, salt, paprika, and pepper. Mix everything up just so the ingredients are combined—avoid over-mixing. Roll into balls, about 1.5 heaping Tablespoons or 40g each. Place all rolled meatballs on a large baking sheet.
- Place onion slices in the bottom of the slow cooker, then top with half of the BBQ sauce and half of the Italian dressing (the rest will go on top).
- Coat a large skillet with the olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Lightly brown the meatballs in batches for about 1 minute on each side. (Do not skip this step! So much flavor and it helps set the meatballs so they do not fall apart.) Layer the meatballs into the slow cooker as you’re browning each batch. Once all browned meatballs have been added to the slow cooker, pour remaining BBQ sauce and Italian dressing on top.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 3 hours. Serve warm with sauce and onions. You can enjoy alone or with mashed potatoes and veggies, salad, sweet potato fries, onion rings, with rolls and melted mozzarella for sandwiches, or even with toothpicks as a party appetizer. 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 up to 2 months. Add to slow cooker and cook as directed. OR you can fully prepare 1 day in advance, refrigerate, then cook in the slow cooker on low for 45 minutes or until warmed. Freeze cooked meatballs in sauce for up to 2 months. Defrost before reheating as desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Baking Sheet | Slow Cooker (4 quarts or larger) | Large Skillet
- Meat: You can use any ground meat you prefer; I always use turkey.
- Panko: Panko is sold in all major grocery stores. You can use regular (not gluten free) instead. I prefer Panko for texture, but you can use whole wheat or homemade dry breadcrumbs instead. Or even oats, like I suggest. To make your own breadcrumbs for this particular recipe, you can trim the crusts from 2 slices of stale whole wheat bread. Cut bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Spread breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry, about 12-14 minutes. This makes around 2/3 cup.
- BBQ Sauce & Italian Dressing: Use your favorite BBQ sauce and Italian dressing. These make up the sauce, so make sure you like their flavor!
- No Slow Cooker? No Problem! Add the shaped meatballs to a large skillet coated with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and sauté until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place on a large baking sheet. Repeat with all meatballs since they cannot all fit into the pan at once. Turn off heat. Pour off any excess oil. In a very large pot, add the sliced onions and half of the BBQ sauce and Italian dressing. Add the meatballs and pour remaining BBQ sauce and Italian dressing on top. Turn the heat to low-medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, the flavors blend, and the meatballs are cooked through, 25-35 minutes.