This is my simple and classic family recipe for slow cooker turkey meatballs in marinara sauce. They’re easy to prep, extra tender, and seasoned just right. To really lock in the flavor and moisture, I recommend quickly pan-searing the meatballs on the stove before finishing them in the slow cooker. These saucy turkey meatballs are so versatile—enjoy them in meatball sandwiches, on their own alongside a salad and cheese breadsticks, or, naturally, on top of spaghetti!

I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.

Turkey meatballs are a satisfying, feel-good, fill-you-up kind of dish that can feed a number of people and doesn’t require much prep work. And if you appreciate the convenience of using a slow cooker for chicken and corn soup, slow cooker chicken chili, turkey chili, and honey teriyaki chicken, you’ll love it even more for these turkey meatballs. 

One reader, Isabel, commented: “These were sooo good! I made them last night for my family and they were tender and filled with flavor. Will definitely make again! I also cooked these on high for 4 hours and it worked perfectly.”

Another reader, Jennifer, commented: “Healthy. easy. make ahead. satisfying…… SO FREAKING DELICIOUS!”

Tell Me About These Turkey Meatballs

• Flavor: Garlic, onion, and a little parmesan cheese together add heaps of flavor to this slow cooker dinner recipe. Add some herbs and a little salt & pepper round the flavors out. These flavor additions are pantry staples—you don’t need anything fancy here.
• Texture: By using lean ground turkey, we’re able to keep the meatballs light, moist, tender, and still full of flavor. Compared to many recipes, the meatball mixture is light on the breadcrumbs. Too much can take away from the meatball’s melt-in-your-mouth texture, so add just enough to help bind.
• Ease: This uncomplicated, unfussy meal doesn’t require much work. Besides some chopping and shaping the meatballs, there’s brief cooking on the stove, but then the slow cooker takes over.

These delicious turkey meatballs will get you all the compliments without all the work.

You Need These Ingredients:

For the meatballs, use about 93% lean, 7% fat ground turkey. You could use ground beef or chicken instead, if you prefer. You also need an egg to bind the ingredients together. Breadcrumbs are another binding agent, and you can use panko, regular, whole wheat, Italian seasoned, or even gluten free.

You also need fresh parmesan cheese, garlic, and seasonings. You’ll use garlic in the homemade marinara-style sauce, too.

Mix everything together, and then roll the mixture into balls.

Sear the Meatballs First

We can skip pan-searing when making chicken meatballs that bake in the oven, but this step is necessary for today’s recipe. Gently searing the turkey meatballs in a skillet on the stove browns the exteriors and seals in all the juicy moisture. (Flavor, flavor, flavor!) If you skip this step, the meatballs will just crumble apart in the crockpot.

This step only takes about 10–15 minutes total, and then it’s the slow cooker’s turn to take over.

Marinara Sauce for Turkey Meatballs

I like to keep the sauce simple because these flavorful turkey meatballs are the star of the show. You need some cans of crushed tomatoes, a little tomato paste for thickening the sauce, and some chopped sweet onion and seasoning for flavor.

You can use plain crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted, or the kind with basil—just avoid using reduced-salt or no-salt-added varieties. This slow cooker recipe makes a lot of sauce, which is perfect for making magnificently messy meatball subs, or if you’re serving your meatballs over spaghetti.

Layer the onion, half of the crushed tomatoes, and the tomato paste into the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the seared turkey meatballs on top, then pour the remaining crushed tomatoes over the meatballs. Add in the remaining seasonings, give it all a stir, and your work here is done! Pop that lid on and let the slow cooker do its thing.

You can cook on low for about 6—7 hours, or speed things up by cooking on high for about 4 hours.

Serve Turkey Meatballs With:

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Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs

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5 from 2 reviews

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  Author: Sally
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  Prep Time: 35 minutes
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  Cook Time: 6 hours
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  Total Time: 6 hours, 35 minutes
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  Yield: 30-34 meatballs
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  Category: Appetizers
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  Method: Cooking
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  Cuisine: American

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Description

This is my favorite recipe for classic slow cooker turkey meatballs in a homemade marinara-style sauce. They’re easy to prep, extra tender, and seasoned just right.

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Instructions

1. With a large spoon or spatula, mix together all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl until just combined—avoid overmixing.
2. Scoop a portion of the mixture, about 2 Tablespoons (30–35g) in size, roll into a ball with your hands, and place on a baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining mixture. You should have around 30–34 meatballs. Set aside.
3. Grease a (4-quart or larger) slow cooker with nonstick spray (or a drizzle of olive oil). Place the onions in the slow cooker, then pour 1 can of crushed tomatoes over top of the onions. Add in the tomato paste and garlic, and stir gently to combine.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then add in a Tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches, sear the meatballs (about 6–8 meatballs at a time, or however many fit in your skillet) for about 1 minute on each side, until browned. Place the browned meatballs in the slow cooker. Once all browned meatballs have been added to the slow cooker, pour the remaining can of crushed tomatoes on top, and add in the crushed red pepper flakes and bay leaves.
5. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6–7 hours. (You can also cook on high for about 4 hours if that works better for your day.) Remove and discard the bay leaves.
6. Serve warm meatballs with sauce over your choice of pasta, in a sub roll, or on their own. Top with chopped basil, parsley, or fresh parmesan cheese, if desired.
7. Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare meatballs through the browning step; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 2 months. Add to slow cooker along with sauce ingredients and cook as directed (no need to thaw). OR you can fully prepare 1 day in advance, refrigerate, then reheat in the slow cooker on low for 45 minutes or until warmed. Freeze cooked meatballs in sauce in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating as desired.
2. Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Baking Sheet | Slow Cooker (4 quarts or larger) such as this one or this one | Skillet
3. No Slow Cooker? No Problem! Prepare as directed, but instead of a slow cooker, use a large pot on the stove. Simmer the browned meatballs over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are cooked through, 25–35 minutes.
4. Turkey: I always use 93% lean ground turkey, but you can make these meatballs with ground beef, chicken, or pork if you prefer. If you use extra-lean turkey, the meatballs can taste a bit dry.
5. Breadcrumbs: I prefer panko for texture, but you may use plain, Italian seasoned, whole-wheat, or homemade dry breadcrumbs instead. To make your own: Trim the crusts off 2 slices of stale bread. Cut or tear bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Spread breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F (121°C) until dry, about 12–14 minutes. This makes about 2/3 cup crumbs.