Crock pots are so convenient, plug them in and go to work... come home and dinner's ready! I've always wondered if I can make meatballs start to finish in my crock pot without having to bake them first. Well now I know the answer, yes you can!
I'm starting to experiment with some of my favorite recipes to see how they translate into the crock pot and I plan on posting the ones I have success with. For the stove top version of this recipe, see Skinny Italian Turkey Meatballs.
One thing I should mention, it's best to carefully form the meatballs with gentle hands, if you pack them tight they will get tough while cooking. If you prefer to bake them in the oven first, bake them for 15 minutes at 350°. Then add to the crock pot for 2 - 3 hours on low. If you want more sauce, add another can of crushed tomatoes.
The one step I wouldn't skip is browning the garlic in oil first, this is a must for best results. And of course, you all know I swear by Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes (green label.)
And since so many are asking, I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Slow Cooker. I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it's done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This crock pot is great, I am very happy with it and it's only about $28 on Amazon right now!
Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs
Adapted from my stove top Skinny Italian Turkey Meatball recipe.
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 4 meatballs with sauce • Old Points: 5 pt • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 200.4 • Fat: 8.1 g • Carbs: 12.6 • Fiber: 0.6 • Protein: 17.3 g • Sugar: 4.4
Sodium: 427.5 mg
Ingredients:
- 20 oz (1.3 lb) ground turkey breast 93% lean
- 1/4 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Reggiano Parmigiano cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp kosher salt + fresh pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes (I like Tuttorosso)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil or parsley
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic and cheese. Using clean hands, mix all the ingredients and form small meatballs, about 1/8th cup each.
In a small saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn.
Pour crushed tomatoes into the crock pot with bay leaf. Add garlic and oil.
Drop meatballs into the sauce, cover and set crock pot to low, 4 to 6 hours. When meatballs are ready, adjust salt and pepper to taste and add fresh chopped basil or parsley.
Serve with ricotta, over pasta or enjoy with French bread.
Makes about 24 meatballs, 2 tbsp each.
I've always wondered if you could cook ground beef in a crock pot too. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great! I've also been wondering about cooking ground meat in the crock pot, because, honestly, it's not much of a time saver if you have to bake them first. I can't wait to try this!
ReplyDeleteDoes this recipe actually call for 1/4 cup of the basil in the sauce? Ive used one of your recipes that's similar to this (the marinara sauce) and I dont recall there being that much basil - is it different because we're cooking with meat?
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious! I love that they are a crock pot recipe!
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing! I love meatballs:)
ReplyDeleteYum I love recipes that can be converted to crock-pot cooking!
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather, I am trying to do that with a lot of my recipes. :)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to try these! Your recipes have been wonderful!! Thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteIs it okay to use the 99% FF ground turkey or does it have to be the 93%?
ReplyDeleteHi Gina! I love your recipes--thanks for your posts. What are your thoughts on leaving the meatballs longer than 6 hours, on low? I'm usually out at work for closer to 9 hours, and I'm never sure how long additional time will affect recipes like these.
ReplyDeleteNow if only I could find a way to get my crockpot to roll the meat into the balls!
ReplyDeleteDanielle yes you can, I personally find them to be dryer, it's a matter of taste.
ReplyDeleteTara, not sure, if anyone cooks it longer, let me know! I just bought a new crock pot that allows you to set any time you want, I love it! It turns to warm after it's done.
Lisa, that would be brilliant!
THese look excellent! I love anything in a crockpot because it's so simple and when you get home dinners ready! love it.
ReplyDeleteGina, what a great idea. I saw a recipe where you microwave the meatballs for a few minutes (to firm them up) and then add to the crockpot, but this sounds even easier!
ReplyDeleteI didn't see the number of cans of tomatoes? Looks great.
ReplyDeleteGreat sounding recipe. I'm looking for more crock-pot recipes and this one sounds like a winner!
ReplyDeleteLooks great and its on my list for this weekend.
ReplyDeleteOne question. You said its 4 meatballs with sauce for 5 points. How much sauce is included?
Do you have a suggestion for using raw, pre frozen meatballs? Would the cook time be the same or should I add some time? (Currently in the process of trying to plan for my Once a month cooking day :))
ReplyDeleteits great
ReplyDeletei'll try it
thanks for sharing
I've been loving my crockpot lately - this simple healthy recipe would make my kids super happy. I prefer to brown the meatballs first in the oven or in a little oil stovetop. Like your tip about browning the garlic for extra flavor.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is an awesome recipe! I love it!! I want to make these, but I don't have time to brown the garlic. Dam it!! These would of made for a good meatball sandwich for hubby and a just plain for me, sided with a big salad!
ReplyDeleteOh me I just figured out what we are having for dinner tonight! Good thing I'm not working outside my home today (will be getting a few things at store shortly then I'm good to go). Thanks for sharing this bet it will be wonderful
ReplyDeleteHi Gina,
ReplyDeleteHow many 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes does the sauce part of this recipe? I wasn't sure if it was just 1 or not. This recipe looks amazing, and I just can't wait to make it! I love my crockpot! Thanks!!
I wonder what the points value would be if you used extra lean ground beef? It's really tough to find ground turkey at my grocery store, or any turkey at all out of holiday season for that matter....
ReplyDeleteWould love to know!
As always, Thanks Gina for keeping us inspired in the kitchens and healthfully full!
Gina - can I ask what crockpot you use? Mine runs REALLY hot and even when it switches to warm, it's more like low on a regular crockpot. I'm in the market for a new one!
ReplyDeleteThank you Gina for converting your meatball recipe to a crock pot recipe. I have them cooking right now and look forward to future crock pot recipes from you! I have tried many of your recipes and all of them turn out great. Hope you produce a book someday!!
ReplyDeleteGina, I was also wondering what the difference in point value would be if I used ground beef instead of turkey. Please let me know, and thanks for all that you do! :)
ReplyDeleteJust when I think I can't love your website any more, you post yet another amazing recipe! I cannot wait to try this one!!!
ReplyDeleteHow many cans? You don't say.....
ReplyDeleteok, I am writing another review on this recipe. Should have waited until the cooking was done ~ this is a delicious, delicious recipe!! I already had a tried and true meatball & gravy recipe but will now use yours. My family loved it. (By the way, I doubled the tomatoes and garlic.) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI bought my first crock pot a couple of weeks ago so I've been looking for slow cooker recipes and this one looks delic! :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious! Can't wait to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI prepared these for dinner tonight and they were delicious!!! My husband is not a very big ground turkey fan...so thank you for sharing the recipe. He loved them!!!
ReplyDeleteJust made these tonight and they are the BEST meatballs I have ever made! I can't believe how moist they are! I'm never making meatballs any other way again! Thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG. These meatballs were sooo good. I made these earlier in the week, and it turned out awesome. We had "spaghetti" and meatballs. I roasted spaghetti squash and served it with the meatballs. A filling meal with low points. Thanks Gina
ReplyDeleteI made this yesterday and it came out awesome and was super easy to make! I followed your recipe 100% and both my non diet friendly hubbie and my Italian born mother loved it. My mom liked it so much she was thinking of going out and buying a crock pot.
ReplyDeleteI apologize if this was already asked in the comments but due to severe lack of sleep last night thanks to my 2-year-old I don't have the patience to read them :). Anyway, what size are the meatballs in your pictures? I know it says 1/8th of a cup or 2 TBSP above so would you say about the size of a golf ball? Sometimes I do better with visual references :) - THANKS!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you all liked them!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a 5 quart pot, it's brand new. I just bought it because my older one ran too hot and burnt everything.
I used one can of tomatoes but 2 would be good if you want more sauce.
The points would probably slightly higher with beef, depending on how lean the beef is. I would use recipe builder to see the difference.
So glad Nonna approved of these! :)
2 tbsp is about the size of a golf ball I guess!
I made this over the weekend. Fabulous and so easy! Thank you! Can't wait for the leftovers this week for lunch!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of crock pot is the new 5 quart? I am looking for a new larger one for the same reason!! The one I have runs too hot and when I contacted the company they told me supposedly it runs on the same temp whether low or high but cycles differently. Makes no sense to me - all I know is that it overcooks the food!!
ReplyDeleteOh good question! I will link to it at the top but it's the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go.
ReplyDeleteThe crock pot you linked is not 5 quart, and it does not have a timer that switches to warm after a pre-set time...
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYummo!!! made these today and love them...sauce is so tasty
ReplyDeletegreat idea to serve with ricotta
so enjoy your blog
thanks
wintkat
I have yet to be disappointed with anything yet Gina! I this on an open faced mini dinner roll with a pinch of mozzarella cheese and some roasted garlic, popped it in the oven for a few minutes and it was amazing! Perfect and fit right into my points! This I will definitely make again, especially because it's so easy with the crock pot!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight! first time making homemade meatballs and these are surprisingly good.....I have only eaten beef meatballs before and was wary of the turkey but they are yummy!
ReplyDeleteThese were amazing- and held together great in our crockpot!
ReplyDeleteSome advice for using a crockpot and cooking only 6 hours when you are gone for longer than 6... Use a lamp timer that you plug into the wall. Set the time for when you want the crockpot to start cooking and when you want it to stop. Just plug it in and turn it on low or whatever and then plug the timer in with your set time. It will start and stop when you say and you won't over cook your meat or whatever.
ReplyDeleteI recently bought a new crockpot and because of the settings, I had mine cooking on low for 8 hours before it switched to warm setting for a few more hours before I got home.
ReplyDeleteIt may have been dry by some standards, but I thought this is a fantastic recipe, and my boyfriend LOVED it.
It was also my first go with Tuttorosso - I usually use my homemade canned crushed tomatoes, but Gina you were right! This is a great brand - the sauce was fantastic.
So glad you all liked them!
ReplyDeleteSeptember, aren't they great!
These were delicious! I used my own homemade crushed tomatoes, but other wise I followed the recipe exactly. Browning the garlic in the oil really made this too. Also, to form the meatballs, I used my cookie scoop. It's exactly 2 Tbsp and it made rolling them so fast and easy!
ReplyDeleteI made this today and it is wonderful. The taste is out of this world. Only thing I would do is put alittle more sauce to have extra, otherwise this is fantastic. I love all the recipes I have tired on this site, they are all fantastic and with great flavors. Thank You Gina for this great site. Please keep it going.
ReplyDeleteGina, a huge thank you to you! I've tried a few of your recipes, and my husband, and my two year old have loved them all! Made these meatballs the other night they were awesome, and my house smelled heavenly! Last night I made the Asian glazed chicken with thighs instead of drum's! Yummy! I started WW 2 weeks ago have lost 3.5 lbs already! Thank you for giving me something new to look forward to!! Your awesome!!
ReplyDeleteWe had this recipe last night and just loved it. I switched the turkey to lean beef (I'm somewhat allergic to turkey) and served it over spaghetti squash with ricotta cheese. The sauce was amazing and the meatballs were delicious. This is a keeper!
ReplyDeleteMy husband made this for me yesterday morning since he didn't have to go to work until 12pm and it was so delicious! I could not believe how much I loved the meatballs because I was raised on my Mother's homemade Italian beef meatballs and thought that they wouldn't be as good. Boy, was I wrong. The only thing I didn't like was that my husband forgot the basil and parsley and the sauce needs it. I think next time when I make it, I will even add some dry seasonings to the sauce before heading to work. Bravo! :)
ReplyDeleteThese were FABULOUS!! I love your filetto di pomodoro sauce, but this sauce was amazing too! I used freshly grated Asiago instead of the Reggiano Parmigiano. The meatballs held together just fine and I couldn't believe how moist they were for turkey.
ReplyDeleteI made these today and they were delicious! As an FYI, I cooked them on low for 10 hours and they were moist and flavorful. The only change I made was to double the tomatoes. This is a keeper recipe. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI made these for dinner tonight and they were absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great. Next time I may mince the garlic clove that is in the actual meatball. Honestly, every recipe I've tried on your site has been amazing and filling. Thanks for another great meal!
ReplyDelete@Megan - I don't think anyone answered your question about 1/4 cup of basil in the sauce. That would be fresh basil. Maybe the other recipe you were referring to called for dried basil, and you would only use a tsp or so. With fresh herbs you use much more.
ReplyDeleteHi! Mmm… Yummy! Meat balls remind me of my childhood which my parents used to make especially during my birthday. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteIf you put mushrooms in the sauce would it be too long to cook them in there the whole time?
ReplyDeleteI made this tonight for our dinner. My husband always complains when I make spaghetti because it is bland. (I only use turley and he likes beef.) I wasn't sure this would be flavorful enough for him, but he LOVED it. And the bonus is that our two year old and I loved it too. This is going into regular rotation in our house!
ReplyDeleteglad you all liked them!!
ReplyDeletemushrooms only take an hour in the crock pot, add them in the end.
Delicious!! These were super easy to put together, and even easier using the crockpot. My fiance & I have very busy schedules, and work opposites days, so using the crockpot is nearly a must for us. I look forward seeing new crockpot meals!
ReplyDeletethey are very pretty but mine ended up quite bland. not sure what i did wrong?! :(
ReplyDeleteHow long would you cook these on the high setting?
ReplyDeleteGina - In the recipe you stated cook 4-6 hours on low. How long did you actually cook yours for? I am excited to try these (finally) today or tomorrow!!
ReplyDeleteHi Gina!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all your AWESOME!! Second, do you have a crock pot brand you recommend? I am in the market for one and there is so many! Thanks in advance.
Gina uses the Hamilton Beach Programmable crock pot and I do too. I actually have 2 Hamilton Beach crock pots and I LOVE both. My first one is a 'Stay or Go' and my second is the same as Gina's. She has a link to it in her post.
DeleteGina,
ReplyDeleteI've loved all the different meatballs I've made off your site so far. They often include Reggiano Parmigiano cheese, and recently we discovered my 18 month old daughter cannot have cheese, so I was wondering if you think they would work as well without the cheese, or if there was something you might suggest we use instead. I would really appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!
Lydia
I'm making these right now, but I accidently bought ground chicken instead of turkey...anyone try these with chicken before? I'll let you know how it comes out
ReplyDeleteThese meatballs were delicious. I added some oregano and hot pepper flakes to the sauce, but that's just my personal preference. I cooked mine for 8 hours and the meatballs were perfect, not too dry, actually very moist!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I use a crockpot!
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if it's OK to cook this in high?
Thank you
Hi! If you were going to double does the cooking time change?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Can I use Panko crumbs??
ReplyDeleteI made these last week and they were delicious. Be sure that all the meatballs are tucked into the sauce otherwise they can dry out. I didn't have whole wheat bread crumbs so had to add a point or 2 but I didn't need a ton of breadcrumbs anyway. Served this with roasted green beans and the rosemary garlic biscuits---a great meal enjoyed by me and my picky husband for a couple days!
ReplyDeleteYou always use Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes with the green label. The only Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes with the green label that I can find is the New World Style Crushed Tomatoes with basil. Is that the correct one? because then you add basil to your recipe...wouldn't that be toomuch basil?
ReplyDeleteI made this recipe today for Valentine's Day. Two thumbs up from my husband and me! I can't wait to bring leftovers into work tomorrow for lunch!
ReplyDeleteI am craving this for tonight, however if I had to cook it for 4 hours, it wouldn't be done until about 8:30pm...any thoughts on cooking it on high for 2-3 hrs?
ReplyDelete