Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs

I think one of the best things about cooking in a crock pot is smelling the food while it cooks. Almost all day long I was smelling these meatballs and it was making me more and more excited for dinner. Spaghetti and meatballs is just one of those comfort foods for me. Then when I pair it with a salad and cheesy garlic bread it makes the perfect comfort food meal. 

Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 pinches red pepper flakes
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 32 ounces (about 4 cups) marinara sauce
• 16 ounces spaghetti or linguine pasta

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and egg. Use a fork or your hands to combine everything together until well combined.
2. Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of your crock pot.
3. Form the meatball mixture into golf ball sized meatballs, about 2-3 tablespoons per meatball, and add to the crock pot. This will yield about 18-20 meatballs. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over top of the meatballs, making sure all of the meatballs are coated in sauce. Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
4. Shortly before the meatballs are done cooking, prepare the pasta according to the package directions and drain.
5. Once the meatballs are done, transfer them to a plate. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce in the crock pot and toss to coat well. Return the meatballs to the crock pot and serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Serves: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 622
Total Fat		15.5g
Saturated Fat		5.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat		1.2g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		138.4g
Sodium		662.2g
Potassium		430.7g
Total Carbohydrates		80.4g
Dietary Fiber		6.3g
Sugars		7.8g
Protein		44.9g
Vitamin A 16.06% Vitamin C 27.23%
Calcium 9.93% Iron 36.24%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Simply Scratch.