Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs (in Marinara)
Easy slow cooker turkey meatballs in marinara with ground turkey, spinach, basil, and parmesan. A healthy, dump-and-go weeknight dinner over pasta.
Equipment
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
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 (of 6 - about 4 meatballs with sauce) | Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 521mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1248IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg
