SLOW COOKER ITALIAN TURKEY MEATBALLS

These SLOW COOKER ITALIAN TURKEY MEATBALLS are easy, full of flavor, and just plain delicious!!  Make a bunch and stash away in your freezer for when you really don’t feel like cooking much.

I always get in the meatball making mood around this time of year.  Maybe it’s the colder weather, but while most people think of soup; I think of meatballs!! lol.  Probably, because like soup, meatballs are comforting! Am I the only one that thinks this?!

These aren’t your normal Italian meatballs though.  I added a little something extra to give it more flavor from Zupa Noma which is totally optional (like my Homemade Enchiladas) but worth it to me!  Remember you can always and forever get 15% off with the code Donut15.  I used the Yellow Pepper Turmeric, but the Tomato Gazpacho would be phenomenal as well.

I like to broil the meatballs before I put them into the slow cooker.  This helps them to not dry out completely.  Remember to let the slow cooker do its thang.  Low and slowwww baby, low and slow!  If your meatballs happen to be a bit sticky when you are making them, place the meat mixture into the fridge for a little bit.  I advise against “tubed turkey” as the finer the meat is grounded, the stickier the texture!

I served this over mashed delicata squash which was DIVINE.  But you can serve it over anything you darn well feel like!

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SLOW COOKER ITALIAN TURKEY MEATBALLS

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 lb turkey sausage
• 1/3 cup Zupa Noma "yellow pepper turmeric" soup + 1/4 cup
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 jar of marinara sauce (I love Cucina Antica Tomato Basil)
• OPTIONAL: fresh parsley, parmesan cheese
Mashed Delicata Squash:
• 2 large delicata squash
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp gralic powder
• 1 tbl ghee
• spray oil

Instructions

1. Turn your broil to high.
2. While oven is warming up, take all meatball ingredients except for the marinara sauce and mix into a large bowl.
3. Form into meatballs and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. (You can also use a cookie scoop to make the meatballs even).
4. Place under broiler for 5 minutes, then transfer to the slow cooker.
5. Add the jar of marinara and the 1/4 cup Zupa Noma. Close the lid and let cook for 8 hours on low.
6. Once done garnish with fresh parsley and optional parmesan cheese
Mashed Delicata Squash:
7. Slice squash into large chunks and remove seeds.
8. Place on a baking sheet and spray with some oil. Place in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.
9. Once done, place squash in a bowl and take a masher and mash away!
10. Add the seasonings and ghee and mix to combine.

0.1

Be careful not to over mix the turkey.  The more you mix it the stickier it becomes.  You just want to mix until combined.  I like to use a fork.

Whole30: yes

Paleo: yes