In this recipe, lightened-up turkey meatballs cook low and slow in a fresh and aromatic pomodoro sauce. In place of pasta, we add a bit of starchiness (and a boost of fiber) with lacinato kale and canned chickpeas. This meal is a great one to assemble before the work or school day, then dish up when you’re ready to serve dinner. The meatballs hold well on the warm setting of your slow cooker until you’re ready to eat.
Try this recipe for dinner after a workout. Because the prep is done ahead of time, it’s the perfect opportunity to spend your evening doing a hard workout and then refuel with protein, carbohydrates and a vegetable in a hearty dish.
Active time: 20 minutes Total time: 4–8 hours
Slow-Cooker Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound (454g) ground turkey
- 1/2 cup (45g) plain breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup (25g) Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- 1/4 cup (4g) Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 large sprigs fresh basil
- 2 (28-ounce/1,600g) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped
- 1 (15-ounce/439g) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Optional garnishes
- Basil leaves, torn
- Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
- Crusty bread
Directions
To make the meatballs, drizzle the olive oil in the bottom of a 6–8-quart slow cooker.
In a large bowl, gently combine the meatball ingredients. Using your hands or a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, portion out the meatballs and arrange in the bottom of the slow cooker. You should have about 12 meatballs.
To make the sauce, scatter the sliced garlic and basil sprigs over the meatballs, then pour the crushed tomatoes over the top. Add the onion powder and crushed red pepper and season with salt. Do not stir.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6–8 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through. Gently stir in the kale and chickpeas and cook on high for 30 minutes, or until the kale is wilted. Stir in the butter until melted and season the sauce with salt, if needed.
Ladle the meatballs and sauce into four shallow bowls. Garnish with torn basil leaves and freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve right away, passing slices of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 3 meatballs, plus 1 cup of sauce
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 491; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 138mg; Sodium: 804mg; Carbohydrate: 42g; Dietary Fiber: 12g; Sugar: 13g; Protein: 38g
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