The title is totally biased but I swear these meatballs will transform your life.
A little dramatic? Maybe, but it’s Friday so my excitement over a meatball recipe is allowed to be over the top. Because you are about to be introduced to some over-the-top turkey meatballs.
Let’s start by pointing out these were made in the crockpot. If you do not own a crockpot please, I beg of you, go buy one. It is one of the most worthwhile kitchen tools you will ever own. I just recently found a deep love for cooking my meats in the crockpot, due to the tender and juicy flavors it preserves. My Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas were made using this handy tool and since then my family cooks up chicken in the crockpot on a weekly basis. Plus it is a great healthy alternative to pan frying.
There are a few other things that go into making these oh-em-geee-best-turkey- meatballs-ever, besides using the crockpot.
1) Lots of FRESH basil. I can not stress this enough. Fresh basil versus bottled “seasoning” basil makes a huge difference. You can buy a pack of fresh basil from any local market/trader joe’s. Plus I guarantee you will fall in love with the smell of fresh basil.
2) Cheese. Yes, you need to stuff your meatballs with cheese. Good quality cheese. I used a mix of part skim mozzarella and parmesan. As far as cheeses go, these contain the least amount of saturated fat which is just an added bonus. They are two huge essentials in the Italian food culture.
3) Balsamic vinegar. It’s not just for salads. It’s for marinating your meat too. I love to add balsamic vinegar to italian meat dishes because it compliments olive oil and other italian spices like oregano and basil. It also helps not dry out your meatballs, giving them a sweet and juicy flavor.
4) Use the best marinara sauce you got. Confession, I did not use a homemade marinara sauce. No shame in this whatsoever. The meatballs are completely homemade and sometimes we can’t always go that extra mile. We’re only human. If you have a homemade sauce in mind, by all means go for it! If not, Trader Joe’s has some great options 
This list could go on and on forever but those are some basics that I have learned while developing a turkey meatball recipe. If you do not own a crockpot and absolutely refuse to invest in one, do not fear. You can bake these. Instead of adding the sauce to the crockpot, pour it into a baking dish and layer your meatballs into the dish. Bake them for about 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This method will work but I can not 100% guarantee they will come out as good as the crockpot method
Making meatballs is very therapeutic for me. Right up there with homemade bread, cupcakes and pizza. It must be all the chopping, rolling and the lingering scent of an Italian kitchen they leave in the house after a few hours in the crockpot. Sometimes we need a day like that. To just cook for the sake of cooking and breath in the satisfaction of meatballs brewing. After making dishes like this you really start to appreciate the comfort of homemade Italian meals. I hope you all enjoy these as much as my family and I did!
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The Best Turkey Meatballs Ever!
- Yield: Makes 24 meatballs 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 Tbsp oregano
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup parmesan or mozzarella cheese (I used a mix of both)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- Handful of Fresh Basil, chopped
- 2–3 cups marinara sauce
- sea salt + black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine ground turkey, onion, garlic, spices, oil & vinegar, egg whites, cheese, bread crumbs and basil. Mix about 1/4 cup of your marinara sauce into the mixture as well. Combine the ingredients with a wooden spoon then use your hands to evenly mix everything together.
- Roll turkey into 24 balls. Place 1 cup of marinara sauce into your crockpot. Place the turkey into the crockpot then pour remaining sauce over the balls so they are covered in sauce.
- Cook on low up to 6 hours or overnight. I have also cooked these on high for 4 hours and they came out great.
- Serve over pasta, quinoa, in a sandwich or on their own!
Notes
- Instead of using a crockpot you can also try the baking method. Bake the meatballs in a large dish with the marinara sauce at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. The crockpot method is highly recommended but either way will work!
