Slow Cooker BBQ Turkey Meatballs
Total Time
8 hours
Prep Time
35 minutes
Cook Time
7 hours
Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars
(8)
Ingredients
25 meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 2 pounds 92-97% lean ground turkey
- 2/3 cup regular or gluten free Panko
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or about 1 Tablespoon minced)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 1 and 3/4 cups BBQ sauce
- 1/2 cup store-bought Italian dressing
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
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Preparation
Chef’s notes
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:
Prepare meatballs through the browning step; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze up to 2 months. Add to slow cooker and cook as directed. OR you can fully prepare 1 day in advance, refrigerate, then cook in the slow cooker on low for 45 minutes or until warmed. Freeze cooked meatballs in sauce for up to 2 months. Defrost before reheating as desired.
Special Tools:
Glass Mixing Bowl, Baking Sheet, Slow Cooker (4 quarts or larger), Large Skillet
Meat:
You can use any ground meat you prefer; I always use turkey.
Panko:
Panko is sold in all major grocery stores. You can use regular (not gluten free) instead. I prefer Panko for texture, but you can use whole wheat or homemade dry breadcrumbs instead. Or even oats, like I suggest.
BBQ Sauce & Italian Dressing:
Use your favorite BBQ sauce and Italian dressing. These make up the sauce, so make sure you like their flavor!
No Slow Cooker? No Problem! Add the shaped meatballs to a large skillet coated with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and sauté until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place on a large baking sheet. Repeat with all meatballs since they cannot all fit into the pan at once. Turn off heat. Pour off any excess oil. In a very large pot, add the sliced onions and half of the BBQ sauce and Italian dressing. Add the meatballs and pour remaining BBQ sauce and Italian dressing on top. Turn the heat to low-medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, the flavors blend, and the meatballs are cooked through, 25-35 minutes.