30+ Paleo Crockpot Recipes: Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
Tender, juicy, and super delicious, buffalo turkey meatballs are a great appetizer or main dish, made with no breadcrumbs, and easy to prepare in the crockpot or in the oven. Plus 30+ more paleo crockpot recipes that are perfect for busy weeks!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1/4 cup grated onion (from about ½ medium yellow onion)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder
- 2 tbsp almond flour (or oat flour for nut-free)
- 1 lb 93% lean dark meat ground turkey
For the Buffalo Sauce
- 1/3 cup cayenne pepper sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot original)
- 1 tbsp melted butter (dairy-free or traditional)
Optional serving suggestions
- blue cheese dressing, dairy-free ranch dressing, carrot sticks, celery sticks
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- To make the meatballs, mix together the grated onion, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, and almond flour (or oat flour) in a large bowl until well combined. Add the meat, stirring until all the ingredients are well incorporated, clean hands work best, being careful not to overmix.
- Roll the mixture into 2-inch balls, or use a 2-inch cookie scoop. Keep in mind that turkey can be sticky and will not roll the way ground beef does. Use a cookie scoop if the mixture is too sticky. Set aside.
- Make the Buffalo sauce by mixing together the cayenne pepper sauce with the melted butter, stirring until well incorporated. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the Buffalo sauce.
- Place the meatballs on the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour over the remaining sauce. Carefully turn each meatball in the sauce until each is coated.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
- Uncover and remove the meatballs to a serving platter. Strain the remaining sauce. Serve the meatballs with the remaining sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons of fresh sauce on the side for dipping. Alternatively, leave the meatballs in the slow cooker on “warm” setting and serve directly with sauce on the side.
Baking Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350F.
- Make the Buffalo sauce by mixing together the cayenne pepper sauce with the melted butter, stirring until well incorporated.
- Make the meatballs by mixing together the grated onion, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, almond flour (or oat flour) and 2 tablespoons Buffalo sauce in a large bowl. Add the meat, stirring until all the ingredients are well incorporated, clean hands work best, being careful not to overmix.
- Roll the mixture into 2-inch balls, or use a 2-inch cookie scoop. Keep in mind that turkey can be sticky and will not roll the way ground beef does. Use a cookie scoop if the mixture is too sticky. Place the meatballs on a greased, rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through, being careful not to overbake or the meatballs will be dry.
- Toss the meatballs in the remaining sauce and serve, or serve with the sauce on the side.
Notes
This recipe makes about 22, 2-inch meatballs. Which serves from 5-6 if you use a serving size of 4 meatballs.
Nutrition information is for 1 meatball, using almond flour and traditional butter.
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce has an authentic Buffalo sauce flavor, and so is recommended for this recipe. You can also look for other brands of cayenne sauce. Do not use Frank’s Buffalo sauce, as it has additional ingredients you’ll want to avoid for this recipe. Tabasco is also not a good substitute, as it’s hotter and spicier.
Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor without containing any dairy. Find it on the bulk aisle of your natural foods store, or in the baking section. It adds an essential “cheesy” flavor to the recipe without added dairy. You can substitute ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese in its place.
For more recipe notes & ingredient modifications, see the blog post above.
Nutrition
Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
