Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs

I love Italian food, especially spaghetti and meatballs. The only problem's that I was not great at making meatballs that don't have chunks of onions or taste mealy. So when I came across this recipe for healthy meatballs that can be made in the crock-pot and left alone it was a perfect match. As you know, we received a crock pot for our wedding and since then have been trying to find a variety of recipes to make in it since it's such a great invention. The recipe is really easy and doesn't take much prep time or cost a lot of money. I think this whole recipe cost under $10 and can serve at least 4-6 people. It does call for 93/7 lean ground turkey, the additional fat is what gives it more flavor, but you can use the 99/1 ground turkey if you prefer, just a bit drier. I didn't brown the meatballs in the oven prior since I was tight on time, but if you want to you can bake them at 350° for 15 minutes to brown them and add a bit of crunch. I plan to do this next time.Overall, this was a success and Jason was impressed that not only did I make the meatballs but homemade sauce that they cooked in.

Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs

Serves: 6

Source: Skinnytaste

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 and freshly ground pepper

For the sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil
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 heaping Tablespoon 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 but do not crowd them or they won't cook well. 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 over your pasta of choice, I like the fresh linguini from the refrigerated section and enjoy!