Slow Cooker Pesto Turkey Meatballs

Pesto and meatballs… can you go wrong?! Try these slow cooker turkey pesto meatballs for a flavor-packed weeknight dinner.

We love meatballs in our house, so it was no surprise this one was another instant favorite in our house, and I love that you can ‘set it and forget it’ with the meatballs and come home to half your dinner done at the end of the day!

Pesto Turkey Meatballs
Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

For meatballs:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (GF as needed)- more as needed
• 1/3 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

To cook:

• 1-2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce (or similar- we love Rao’s and Carbone)
• Cooking spray or neutral oil (avocado, olive)

To serve:

• Spaghetti squash or pasta
• Fresh grated parmesan (optional)
• Chopped fresh parsley

To cook spaghetti squash:

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• oil and salt, as needed

Instructions:

1. To prepare meatballs, mix all meatball ingredients with hands in a large bowl (be careful not to over-mix). If meatballs are sticky, add an extra 2-4 tbsp of breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp at a time.
2. Divide mixture into 16-20 balls.
3. To cook:
   • Slow Cooker: Grease slow cooker all over with cooking spray. Add a thin layer of sauce to bottom of slow cooker and top with meatballs. Cover with remaining sauce.
   • Close lid and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low 8 hours.
   • Oven: Preheat oven to 375. Grease nonstick baking pan or line with parchment paper. Place meatballs on baking sheet, leaving space in between. Bake for 15-20 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
4. Serve on top of cooked spaghetti squash (our preference), pasta or with crusty bread to dip in the sauce!

To cook spaghetti squash:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Slice off bottom of spaghetti squash to allow for more control when slicing.
3. Slice in half and scoop out seeds.
4. Drizzle oil and sprinkle salt over the cut side of spaghetti squash halves. Place squash, cut-side down, on baking sheet or pan.
5. Add 1″ of water to bottom of pan.
6. Roast in oven for 45 minutes-1 hour, until squash is soft. Let cool slightly, scoop out ‘spaghetti’ and serve.

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