Description
Delicious slow cooker Cranberry BBQ Meatballs made with lean ground turkey, seasoned with aromatic spices, and coated in a tangy, sweet cranberry barbecue sauce. Perfect for parties or a comforting family meal, these meatballs are easy to prepare and slow-cooked to tender perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1/2 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 2 cups BBQ sauce
- 1 batch homemade cranberry sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, whisked egg, almond flour, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Use your hands to gently mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Form Meatballs: Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out the mixture and roll into approximately 20 evenly sized meatballs to ensure uniform cooking.
- Bake Meatballs: Drizzle olive oil over the lined sheet pan, then place the meatballs onto the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F, confirming they are cooked through.
- Prepare Sauce: While meatballs bake, whisk together cranberry sauce, BBQ sauce, ground mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Slow Cook Meatballs in Sauce: Transfer the baked meatballs to the base of your slow cooker. Pour the prepared sauce over them, gently tossing to coat evenly. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours to allow flavors to meld and meatballs to become tender.
- Serve: Once finished, serve the meatballs warm, garnished with thinly sliced green onions and toothpicks for easy handling, perfect for parties or dinners.
Notes
- Use ground turkey for a leaner, healthier alternative to beef or pork.
- If you don’t have homemade cranberry sauce, canned cranberry sauce can be a convenient substitute.
- Cooking times in the slow cooker can vary based on your specific appliance—check tenderness earlier if needed.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure your BBQ sauce and Worcestershire sauce are gluten-free.
- These meatballs freeze well; store cooled meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 62.4 g
- Sodium: 1218.6 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 87.3 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 21.3 g
- Cholesterol: 99.8 mg
