Juicy Crockpot Turkey Meatballs (No Browning Required!)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Sep 20, 2021 (last updated Mar 18, 2026) 
Okay, so turkey meatballs have a reputation problem. They’re either dry, or they require a whole production: browning, baking, or frying. My turkey meatballs do none of that! No egg, no breadcrumbs, and no pre-cooking. Instead juicy crockpot turkey meatballs that go straight into the slow cooker and come out tender every single time.
5 star review
“This recipe is so flavorful and easy to make! I have made it several times now and my family loves it. The meatballs turn out so juicy and tender which has not been the case for me with turkey meatballs. So easy to make the meatballs a day ahead, then pour in the marinara sauce right before setting the crockpot. The aroma in your house will make your family think dinner came from a chef!”
– Tina
Turkey Meatballs in the Crockpot Just Got Easier!
I’ll be honest: ground turkey is not exactly the most exciting ingredient. It needs help, if ya know what I mean. And the thing I kept running into with other turkey meatball recipes was either a laundry list of steps that defeated the whole point of using a slow cooker, or meatballs that held together fine but tasted like nothing.
So I my twist on turkey meatballs until BOTH problems were solved. The trick is grating the onion instead of chopping it. This releases moisture directly into the meat and means no weird onion chunks, which is also how this recipe quietly wins over the pickier members of the household who would normally spot a vegetable from across the room. The spinach and basil get so finely chopped they completely disappear into the meatballs. No egg, no breadcrumbs, and no pre-cooking. Just dump and go. Annnnnd that’s basically it!
This one earns a permanent spot in the weeknight rotation and the meal prep rotation. When dinner needs to happen with zero drama, you mix, scoop, pour the marinara on top, and walk away. On a Sunday when you want lunches handled for the week, same move. Serve over pasta (my usual go-to), spaghetti squash, or even zoodles; it’s all good! Bonus, if you love using ground turkey in the slow cooker, my slow cooker ground turkey sloppy joes are another super easy weeknight win. My 5-star ground turkey pasta is another weeknight staple worth having in the back pocket. See? No more boring ground turkey!
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Slow Cooker Ground Turkey Meatballs
Testing Notes from My Kitchen to Yours
- I tested skipping the grated onion and using finely diced instead and the texture was noticeably drier and you could feel the onion pieces in the meatball. Definitely recommend: grate it every time.
- I’ve tried both the cookie scoop method and rolling by hand and the scoop wins because ground turkey is sticky and inconsistent. Use it and don’t fight the texture!
- Don’t skip finely chopping the spinach and basil. Roughly torn leaves give off too much liquid and the meatballs get soggy. Small pieces melt in and disappear.
- I’ve tried both high and low settings, and high for 3-4 hours is the move for weeknights. Low for 5-6 works for meal prep days when you want to set it and forget it longer.
Juicy Crockpot Turkey Meatballs (No Browning Required!)
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ lb 93% lean ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 (24-oz) jar marinara sauce
Equipment
Instructions
- Grate the onion using the large holes of a box grater over a large bowl. You should end up with about ¼ cup.
- Chop the spinach and basil finely into very small pieces. Alternatively you can add the onion, basil, and spinach to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.
- To the same bowl, add the parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and salt, stirring to combine. Add the turkey and stir again, until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add the olive oil to the base of a 6-quart slow cooker, spreading it around until the bottom is well coated.
- Using a small, 1.6-inch cookie scoop, scoop the turkey mixture into a single layer into the base of the slow cooker. Gentle scoop any remaining mixture on top, creating a second layer. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can use a large soup spoon instead. You can also roll the ground turkey mixture into balls by hand, but it it's too sticky, use the scoop or spoon method.
- Pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Do not stir.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for5-6 or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender. Uncover and gently stir to separate the meatballs.
- Serve over pasta, spaghetti squash, or with crusty bread, topped with fresh basil, parmesan (traditional or dairy-free), and red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
- Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free version, omit the parmesan and substitute 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast.
- Serving: My recipe makes enough meatballs for 1 pound cooked pasta. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and then top with the meatballs.
- Meatballs: Don’t stir the meatballs once they’re in the slow cooker. They need time to set before they can handle any movement or they’ll fall apart.
Delicious! Have made them twice now and love these.
Dawn, yay, so happy to hear you’re enjoying this one! It’s on of our family favorites, too! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
This was delicious and will be my go-to turkey meatball recipe going forward! I love how you use the slow cooker. I’ve never cooked with nutritional yeast and I can say it gives you the cheesy flavor without adding actual cheese. It doesn’t take long to prep nor is it over complicated.
Whitney, thanks for your kind words and notes on nutritional yeast, I bet that will help someone else considering whether to give it a try, too. Cheers!
So easy to make and very tasty!
This recipe will become a regular on busy week nights!
Thanks Robyn! 🤗
Yay, so glad you enjoyed this one, Genevieve, thanks so much for leaving a review!
I didn’t have any trouble forming the meatballs by hand- Loved it and plan to share !!!
Great to hear this, Erin! The consistency of ground turkey can differ quite a bit, so great to know yours rolled easily. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Made these tonight and they were amazing. I got the best shape by using a cookie scoop into my hand and then setting them in the pot. Will be making these again
Randy, yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit for you, and agree that the scoop then roll method might be the best way to go. Thanks for the tip and for leaving a review!
Making these for a crowd tomorrow. It’s our go-to recipe. We love them. Can I double the recipe and still use one large crockpot?
Andrea, yes, you should be able to double the recipe, just stack the meatballs on top of one another, then add the sauce on top. You may need to add an additional 30 minutes because the slow cooker may take longer to come to temp since there’s more in it. I hope it’s a hit!
Mine are super green. Is that normal? I think maybe I put too much Spinach and basil (I didn’t measure). Is there anything I can do to fix it this dish? It’s currently cooking. Please help 😔
Jocelyn, I hope these turned out for you even with the additional spinach and basil. I’d definitely recommend measuring next time to be sure the meatballs hold together and don’t give off too much liquid. Hopefully they were still tasty!
I was skeptical about the recipe and how good they looked in the pictures. Definitely proven wrong. These were amazing, cannot recommend them enough! 11/10!
Beth, yay, so happy they were a hit for you! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Very good. I found that mine turned out too soft for me. Family said it was the best I’ve made though. 10/10
Abby, yay, happy to hear this was a hit with the family, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
I didn’t have time to do the slow cooker, so I followed the recipe as written but then baked them at 400 for 15 minutes and then threw them in a pan to simmer in sauce for a few minutes and they were perfect! My young kids also loved them! I’ll be adding these to the rotation.
Fantastic, Jillian, great to hear this one was a hit and great tip on baking these meatballs instead of slow cooking. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
5 enthusiastic stars! My family loves this recipe and requests it all the time! Quick question—I’ve always made them with turkey, but can I substitute 90/10 beef? Thanks so much for all your delicious and healthy recipes! So happy to be a part of your fan club!
MK, I’m so happy to have you as part of the fan club!! Yes, this recipe would work beautifully with ground beef, and I think a leaner option like 90/10 will work the best to avoid a greasy sauce. Bonus, the ground beef is even easier to roll than the turkey. Thanks for leaving a review!
They were just as delicious with the 90/10 beef! And so easy to make! Thanks for keeping my family happy, full, and healthy!
MK, wonderful to hear, and thanks for reporting back!
This recipe is so flavorful and easy to make! I have made it several times now and my family loves it. The meatballs turn out so juicy and tender which has not been the case for me with turkey meatballs. So easy to make the meatballs a day ahead, then pour in the marinara sauce right before setting the crockpot. The aroma in your house will make your family think dinner came from a chef!
Tina, I love the idea of making the meatballs a day ahead to make things easier – thanks for sharing that tip and for leaving a reivew!
I don’t have any fresh basil and was looking to make this tomorrow. Would you say up the spinach and add dried basil for flavor?
Elizabeth, yes, that should work. Or fresh parsley is a great swap for the fresh basil in this one as well. You just want to make sure you get the moisture from the fresh greens. Hope it’s a hit!
Do you think I could use ground beef for these?
Amy, yes, I’ve tested this recipe with ground beef and it comes out well! I prefer to use lean ground beef so the sauce doesn’t get greasy.
Very tasty. Husband requested it be made again. Kids ate it up. No leftovers!
Cyndi, I’d definitely call that a win! So happy to hear this one was a hit, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!