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Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Aubergine, Pepper and Tomato Sauce | DadTheFoodie

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Aubergine, Pepper and Tomato Sauce recipe photograph

Instructions

Put the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, egg, grated garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Mix lightly with clean hands until just combined, then shape into 16 meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in two batches for 4–5 minutes, turning carefully, then transfer them to the slow cooker. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
Add the onion, aubergine and sliced peppers to the frying pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the chopped garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour the chopped tomatoes and stock into the pan, then stir in the dried basil and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs in a 3.5-litre slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thickened.
Turn off the slow cooker. Stir in the crème fraîche, then fold through the spinach and leave for 2–3 minutes until wilted. Scatter with parsley and serve with pasta, rice or crusty bread.

Equipment needed

Recommended slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5-litre slow cooker
Large mixing bowl
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon

Swaps and substitutions

Turkey mince → Chicken mince
Use the same quantity and cook until piping hot throughout.
Crème fraîche → Full-fat natural yoghurt
Stir it in after switching off the slow cooker to reduce the risk of splitting.
Fresh breadcrumbs → 50 g porridge oats
The oats make slightly firmer meatballs but work well in the mixture.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes
Batch cooking: Suitable for batch cooking
Storage: Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within two hours in a covered container. Keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost: Freeze the cooled meatballs and sauce in a suitable container. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating until piping hot throughout.
Reheating: Defrost fully in the fridge if frozen. Reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring the sauce and checking that the meatballs are hot in the centre. Do not reheat more than once.
Leftover ideas: Break up leftover meatballs into the sauce and serve over baked potatoes, use as a filling for toasted rolls, or spoon over cooked pasta with extra grated cheese.

Allergen information

Contains egg and milk. Breadcrumbs may contain wheat and gluten; use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed and check stock and crème fraîche labels.

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

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Recipe info

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 300 min
Servings: 4

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Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

Adjust servings

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

500 g turkey mince
50 g fresh breadcrumbs
1 medium egg
2 cloves, finely grated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium, finely chopped brown onion
1 large, diced aubergine
2 red or yellow peppers, deseeded and sliced
2 cloves, finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons tomato purée
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
300 ml chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
100 g crème fraîche
60 g baby spinach
2 tablespoons, chopped fresh parsley

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Slow cooker

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

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Aubergine, Pepper and Tomato Sauce

Name: Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Aubergine, Pepper and Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 325 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500 g turkey mince; 50 g fresh breadcrumbs; 1 medium egg; 2 cloves, finely grated garlic; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon fine salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium, finely chopped brown onion; 1 large, diced aubergine; 2 red or yellow peppers, deseeded and sliced; 2 cloves, finely chopped garlic; 2 tablespoons tomato purée; 400 g tin chopped tomatoes; 300 ml chicken stock; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon sugar; 100 g crème fraîche; 60 g baby spinach; 2 tablespoons, chopped fresh parsley

Tender turkey meatballs cook gently in a rich tomato sauce with sweet peppers and soft aubergine. A spoonful of crème fraîche stirred through at the end makes this an easy, family-friendly supper served with pasta, rice or crusty bread.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 5 hrs
Total: 5 hr 25 min
Servings: 4

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5-litre slow cooker
Large mixing bowl
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

500 g turkey mince
50 g fresh breadcrumbs
1 medium egg
2 cloves, finely grated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium, finely chopped brown onion
1 large, diced aubergine
2 red or yellow peppers, deseeded and sliced
2 cloves, finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons tomato purée
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
300 ml chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
100 g crème fraîche
60 g baby spinach
2 tablespoons, chopped fresh parsley

Substitutions

Turkey mince → Chicken mince (Use the same quantity and cook until piping hot throughout.)
Crème fraîche → Full-fat natural yoghurt (Stir it in after switching off the slow cooker to reduce the risk of splitting.)
Fresh breadcrumbs → 50 g porridge oats (The oats make slightly firmer meatballs but work well in the mixture.)

Instructions

Put the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, egg, grated garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Mix lightly with clean hands until just combined, then shape into 16 meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in two batches for 4–5 minutes, turning carefully, then transfer them to the slow cooker. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
Add the onion, aubergine and sliced peppers to the frying pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the chopped garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour the chopped tomatoes and stock into the pan, then stir in the dried basil and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs in a 3.5-litre slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thickened.
Turn off the slow cooker. Stir in the crème fraîche, then fold through the spinach and leave for 2–3 minutes until wilted. Scatter with parsley and serve with pasta, rice or crusty bread.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within two hours in a covered container. Keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost: Freeze the cooled meatballs and sauce in a suitable container. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating until piping hot throughout.

Defrost fully in the fridge if frozen. Reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring the sauce and checking that the meatballs are hot in the centre. Do not reheat more than once.

Break up leftover meatballs into the sauce and serve over baked potatoes, use as a filling for toasted rolls, or spoon over cooked pasta with extra grated cheese.

Allergen information

Contains egg and milk. Breadcrumbs may contain wheat and gluten; use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed and check stock and crème fraîche labels.

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

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Aubergine, Pepper and Tomato Sauce

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Aubergine, Pepper and Tomato Sauce

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

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