Description
Crock Pot Buffalo Turkey Meatballs offer a delicious and healthy twist on classic meatballs by combining lean ground turkey with spicy buffalo sauce. Slow-cooked to juicy, tender perfection in a crock pot, they are effortless to make and packed with bold flavor, perfect for game day or quick weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (or gluten-free breadcrumbs/almond flour for gluten-free)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup buffalo sauce (adjust amount for preferred spice level)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, chopped green onions, ranch seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until evenly blended without overworking the meat to ensure tender meatballs.
- Shape the Meatballs: Using your hands or a small scoop, form the turkey mixture into evenly sized 1 to 1.5-inch meatballs. Place them on a baking sheet or plate to keep them organized and ready for the crock pot.
- Arrange Meatballs in the Crock Pot: Layer the meatballs gently in the crock pot, being careful not to overcrowd. This allows each meatball to cook evenly and soak up the buffalo flavor.
- Add Buffalo Sauce: Pour the buffalo sauce evenly over the meatballs in the crock pot, making sure each one gets coated in the spicy sauce that will infuse during cooking.
- Cook Low and Slow: Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through and tender. The slow cooking enhances the flavor and thickens the sauce.
- Final Touches: Before serving, stir lightly to coat the meatballs evenly with the sauce. Garnish with extra green onions or a drizzle of ranch or blue cheese dressing for creaminess.
Notes
- Let the formed meatball mixture chill for 10 minutes before shaping to make handling easier.
- Make all meatballs uniform in size to ensure even cooking.
- Use a slow cooker liner for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- If the sauce is too thin toward the end, thicken it with a small cornstarch slurry.
- Serve with ranch or blue cheese dip to mellow out the spicy buffalo flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 to 5 hours
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 80mg