Hearty Turkey Meatballs Recipe

There’s nothing quite like a crock-pot recipe; coming home to an already-cooked dinner is almost priceless, especially one that can feed a crowd or be repurposed into two meals!* Hearty Panko breadcrumbs bulk up these tasty turkey meatballs. Traditional Italian seasoning pairs with garlic, and dried onions in this easy tomato-based sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 pound

  Ground turkey

• 1 pound

  Turkey sausage, removed from casings

• 1 1/4 cups

  Panko Breadcrumbs

• 3/4 cup

  grated Parmesan cheese

• 2

  beaten eggs

• 2 tablespoons

  Italian Seasoning

• Two 29 ounce cans

  crushed tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon

  Toasted Onions

• 1 teaspoon

  Granulated Garlic

• 1/4 teaspoon

  Cayenne Pepper (optional but delicious!)

Directions

Remove the turkey sausage from the casings by sliding a knife through them, and emptying the meat into a large bowl. Add the ground turkey as well.

Add the Panko, Parmesan, eggs, and 1 Tablespoon of the Italian Seasoning.

Add one can of the crushed tomatoes to your slow cooker or crock-pot. Add 1 Tablespoon of the Italian Seasoning. Add the Toasted Onions and garlic as well. Stir to combine.

Use your hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Form the mixture into balls using a medium-size scoop or your fingers. Roll to smooth the balls then place in the sauce. Continue until all the meat is used.

Open the last can of crushed tomatoes, stir in the Cayenne Pepper, if using. Pour over the formed meatballs in the crock-pot. DO NOT STIR. The meatballs will fall apart if you stir.

Cook on high for 8-9 hours. You can stir the meatballs if desired, after 4 hours of cooking. Stir before serving, and serve as desired. Top with a bit of Parmesan.*

* I have a small family of three, so I am able to stretch this recipe into three meals. It may be a bit different for your family if you are serving more.

There are several serving options for these meatballs. I like to serve them by themselves the first time I make them, paired with a starch and veggie. Then I halve the leftovers into two freezer bags. These meatballs freeze up to 3 months. The next time I serve them, I make easy meatballs subs. Thaw one of the bags overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stove. Toast sub buns and top them with the meatballs and provolone cheese. The third and final way I serve these is spaghetti and meatballs. Simply thaw one of the bags in the fridge overnight, reheat over the stove. Serve over cooked hot pasta with a fresh salad and some crusty garlic bread.