No fuss homemade turkey meatballs in a rich tomato sauce simmered all day your slow cooker!  This classic recipe is a keeper and one I'm happy to share with you today from my friend, Sarah Olson's new cookbook, The Magical Slow Cooker. 

I am so excited to review Sarah's cookbook with you!  I've known Sarah for some time now and have always been a fan of her blog The Magical Slow Cooker and the wonderful creative recipes she shares there, but things just got a whole lot more serious with the publication of her first cookbook, The Magical Slow Cooker.  When Sarah asked if I wanted to review her cookbook, I jumped at the opportunity and said YES! YES! YES!

I had such a hard time choosing a recipe to review!  This book is crammed full of dozens of fantastic recipes you can make in your slow cooker any day of the week.  With recipe titles like Raisin Bread French Toast Casserole (pg. 22), Rosemary Party Nuts (pg. 35), and Beef and Bacon Man Stew (pg. 97) your slow cooker really can become magical!  I have to admit, I've been a little limited in my thinking of what "should" and "could" be made in a slow cooker, but this book has really opened my eyes to the versatility this amazing appliance!  In this book, Sarah even gives you tips for successful slow cooker meals! (Because slow cooking can be a little different from stove top or oven cooking.)

After reading the book from cover to cover (because, yes, that is how I read cookbooks!), I settled on making a version of her All-Day Meat Sauce (pg. 131).  I decided to swap out the ground beef in the recipe for some homemade turkey meatballs, but kept all the sauce ingredients as written.

This really was the perfect recipe to make on the day I chose to prepare it.  It was a day I had to be gone most of the day, so I wouldn't be home to slow cook anything on the stove.  All I needed to do was a little prep work in the morning, and I returned home later that day, to a house filled with the wonderful aroma of a homemade Italian feast. Seriously, not much smells more inviting then homemade tomato sauce that has simmered all day long.  To get dinner on the table, all that was left to do was boil up some pasta and toss a quick green salad together, and dinner was served!

I made homemade turkey meatballs here, quickly browned them up stove top and then added them to the sauce,  but I don't see why frozen prepared meatballs wouldn't work just as well, and be even more of a time saver!

The sauce was delicious and I will definitely be making this recipe again and again.  It was so nice to return home to an easy meal, that was better than any jarred sauce I could buy.

For more information on Sarah's cookbook, The Magical Slow Cooker, visit Sarah's blog, The Magical Slow Cooker, where she's linked all the sites and stores you can purchase it from and discover why your slow cooker really is magical!  This cookbook is a valuable resource for any busy mom or anyone who likes to have homemade, healthy meals on the table with little fuss.

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs and Tomato Sauce

By Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Adapted from The Magical Slow Cooker

Classic meatballs and tomato sauce, made lighter with ground turkey and easy by simmering all day in your slow cooker!

Ingredients

• For Meatballs:
• 1.2 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup dried onion
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 1 TBS olive oil
• For Tomato Sauce:
• 1 (28 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 (14 oz) cans of diced tomatoes (I used ones that were seasoned)
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 2 TBS. brown sugar
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 TBS dried oregano
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Make the meatballs by combining all meatball ingredients except olive oil in a large bowl. With a small ice cream scoop, form into meatballs. Heat large skillet over med-high heat and add olive oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides, but do not cook all the way through. (about 5 minutes). Remove meatballs to paper towel lined plate and set aside.
2. Add all ingredients for sauce to a 6-quart slow cooker and stir. Add in the browned meatballs and stir.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours without opening lid during cooking time.
4. Serve over cooked pasta and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. This would also make awesome meatballs subs!

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins.

Cook time: 08 hrs. 00 mins.
Total time: 8 hrs. 15 mins.
Tags: The Magical Slow Cooker, Turkey, Meatballs, Sauce, Slow Cooker, Tomato

(For sauce and meatballs only!) 
Servings - 6   Serving Size - 1/6th of recipe   Points Plus per Serving - 8 Points+
Calories - 320,   Total Fat - 12g,   Carb. - 28.6g,   Protein - 25g,   Fiber - 6g