Slow cooker

Freezer friendlyGreat for batch cookingRecommended for a 5.5 litre slow cooker

Slow cooker Turkey Meatballs Pasta Family meals Midweek meals Freezer friendly

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball and Pepper Pasta Bake

Name: Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball and Pepper Pasta Bake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 330 min
Total time: 355 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500g turkey mince; 50g fresh breadcrumbs; 1 medium egg; 30g finely grated Parmesan; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes; 300ml chicken or vegetable stock; 290g jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced; 2 tablespoons tomato purée; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 250g short pasta, such as penne or fusilli; 125g mozzarella, torn into small pieces; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1 tablespoon olive oil, for greasing if needed

Tender turkey meatballs cook in a rich roasted pepper and tomato sauce before short pasta is stirred through at the end. Finish with mozzarella for an easy, family-friendly slow cooker supper served straight from the pot.

DadTheFoodiewww.dadthefoodie.com

Slow cooker

Tags: Slow cooker, Turkey, Meatballs, Pasta, Family meals, Midweek meals, Freezer friendly

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball and Pepper Pasta Bake

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 5 hr 30 min
Total: 5 hr 55 min
Servings: 4

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 5.5 litre

5.5-litre slow cooker
Large mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Ingredients

500g turkey mince
50g fresh breadcrumbs
1 medium egg
30g finely grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
300ml chicken or vegetable stock
290g jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried basil
250g short pasta, such as penne or fusilli
125g mozzarella, torn into small pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil, for greasing if needed

Substitutions

Turkey mince → Lean chicken mince (Cook until the meatballs reach 75°C in the centre.)
Fresh breadcrumbs → 50g dried breadcrumbs (The meatballs may be slightly firmer.)
Parmesan → Mature Cheddar (Use finely grated cheese so it mixes evenly into the meatballs.)
Mozzarella → Grated mature Cheddar (Scatter over the pasta at the end and melt before serving.)
Roasted red peppers → Two fresh red peppers, deseeded and sliced (Add them with the onion and allow them to soften during cooking.)

Instructions

Mix the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan and oregano in a bowl. Season lightly with black pepper and a little salt, then shape into about 20 small meatballs.
Lightly grease the slow cooker crock if necessary. Add the chopped onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, stock, sliced roasted peppers, tomato purée, smoked paprika and dried basil. Stir to combine.
Nestle the raw turkey meatballs into the sauce in a single layer as far as possible. Drizzle over the olive oil.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and reach 75°C in the centre.
Stir the pasta into the hot sauce, making sure it is mostly submerged. Cover and cook on low for a further 25–35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is just tender. Add a splash of hot water if the sauce becomes too thick before the pasta is cooked.
Turn off the slow cooker and scatter over the mozzarella. Replace the lid for 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Finish with the parsley and serve piping hot.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within two hours in a covered container. Keep for up to 3 days. For the best pasta texture, freeze the meatballs and sauce before adding the pasta, if preparing this as a batch. Defrost: Defrost the frozen meatball sauce in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then heat it in the slow cooker until piping hot before stirring in the dry pasta. Do not cook frozen meatballs or sauce directly in the slow cooker.

Reheat portions in a saucepan or microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring as needed. Add a splash of water if the pasta has thickened the sauce. Do not reheat more than once.

Use leftover meatballs and sauce in toasted subs, or spoon them over a baked potato with extra grated cheese.

Allergen information

Contains egg, milk and wheat if using ordinary breadcrumbs and pasta. Check packet labels for allergy information, especially on stock, breadcrumbs and cheese.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Instructions

Mix the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan and oregano in a bowl. Season lightly with black pepper and a little salt, then shape into about 20 small meatballs.

Lightly grease the slow cooker crock if necessary. Add the chopped onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, stock, sliced roasted peppers, tomato purée, smoked paprika and dried basil. Stir to combine.

Nestle the raw turkey meatballs into the sauce in a single layer as far as possible. Drizzle over the olive oil.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and reach 75°C in the centre.

Stir the pasta into the hot sauce, making sure it is mostly submerged. Cover and cook on low for a further 25–35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is just tender. Add a splash of hot water if the sauce becomes too thick before the pasta is cooked.

Turn off the slow cooker and scatter over the mozzarella. Replace the lid for 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Finish with the parsley and serve piping hot.

Swaps and substitutions

Turkey mince → Lean chicken mince

Cook until the meatballs reach 75°C in the centre.

Fresh breadcrumbs → 50g dried breadcrumbs

The meatballs may be slightly firmer.

Parmesan → Mature Cheddar

Use finely grated cheese so it mixes evenly into the meatballs.

Mozzarella → Grated mature Cheddar

Scatter over the pasta at the end and melt before serving.

Roasted red peppers → Two fresh red peppers, deseeded and sliced

Add them with the onion and allow them to soften during cooking.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly

Yes

Batch cooking

Suitable for batch cooking

Storage

Reheating

Reheat portions in a saucepan or microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring as needed. Add a splash of water if the pasta has thickened the sauce. Do not reheat more than once.

Leftover ideas

Use leftover meatballs and sauce in toasted subs, or spoon them over a baked potato with extra grated cheese.

Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

Adjust servings

Cooking time may not change in direct proportion to serving size.

500g turkey mince

50g fresh breadcrumbs

1 medium egg

30g finely grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

300ml chicken or vegetable stock

290g jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced

2 tablespoons tomato purée

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried basil

250g short pasta, such as penne or fusilli

125g mozzarella, torn into small pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon olive oil, for greasing if needed

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball and Pepper Pasta Bake

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball and Pepper Pasta Bake

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

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