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Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Carrot, Parsnip and Tomato Sauce | DadTheFoodie

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Carrot, Parsnip and Tomato Sauce recipe photograph

Instructions

Mix the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, egg, dried thyme, grated garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined. Shape into 16 small meatballs, wetting your hands if the mixture becomes sticky.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for 5–6 minutes, turning regularly. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage. Transfer them to the slow cooker.
Add the onion, carrots and parsnips to the slow cooker around the meatballs. Stir the chopped garlic, passata, chicken stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme and bay leaf together, then pour over everything.
Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs are cooked through. The centre of a meatball should no longer be pink and should reach 75°C if checked with a food thermometer.
For a thicker sauce, mix the plain flour with the cold water to make a smooth slurry. Stir it into the slow cooker during the final 20 minutes, replace the lid and allow the sauce to thicken.
Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then scatter over the parsley.
Serve hot with mashed potato, pasta 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
Food thermometer, optional

Swaps and substitutions

Turkey mince → Lean chicken mince
The cooking method and timings remain the same; check that the meatballs are fully cooked before serving.
Parsnips → Swede or extra carrots
Cut the vegetables into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Worcestershire sauce → 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Use a gluten-free alternative if required.
Fresh breadcrumbs → 50 g porridge oats
Use fine oats and allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes before shaping.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes
Batch cooking: Suitable for batch cooking
Storage: Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container within two hours. Use within 3 days. Keep separate from any pasta, rice or mashed potato where possible. Defrost: Defrost the cooked meatballs and sauce in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat thoroughly until piping hot, and do not put the frozen dish directly into the slow cooker.
Reheating: Reheat on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring the sauce and checking that the meatballs are hot in the centre. Only reheat once.
Leftover ideas: Split leftovers into lunch portions and serve with pasta, mashed potato or a jacket potato. The meatballs can also be cut up and used in a toasted sandwich with grated cheese.

Allergen information

Contains egg, wheat if using standard breadcrumbs, and soya or fish may be present in Worcestershire sauce. Check stock cubes, breadcrumbs and sauces for the allergens relevant to your household.

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: 360 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
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into thick slices
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
500 g passata
250 ml chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon plain flour
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, to serve

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Slow cooker

Tags: Slow cooker, Turkey, Meatballs, Family meals, Root vegetables, Freezer friendly

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Carrot, Parsnip and Tomato Sauce

Name: Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Carrot, Parsnip and Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 385 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500 g turkey mince; 50 g fresh breadcrumbs; 1 medium egg; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 small clove garlic, finely grated; ½ teaspoon fine salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 large onion, finely sliced; 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices; 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into thick slices; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 500 g passata; 250 ml chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube; 1 tablespoon tomato purée; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1 tablespoon plain flour; 2 tablespoons cold water; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Tender turkey meatballs cook slowly with carrots, parsnips and onion in a rich tomato sauce flavoured with thyme. Serve with mashed potato, crusty bread or pasta for an easy family supper.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 6 hrs
Total: 6 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
Food thermometer, optional

Ingredients

500 g turkey mince
50 g fresh breadcrumbs
1 medium egg
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into thick slices
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
500 g passata
250 ml chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon plain flour
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Substitutions

Turkey mince → Lean chicken mince (The cooking method and timings remain the same; check that the meatballs are fully cooked before serving.)
Parsnips → Swede or extra carrots (Cut the vegetables into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.)
Worcestershire sauce → 1 teaspoon soy sauce (Use a gluten-free alternative if required.)
Fresh breadcrumbs → 50 g porridge oats (Use fine oats and allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes before shaping.)

Instructions

Mix the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, egg, dried thyme, grated garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined. Shape into 16 small meatballs, wetting your hands if the mixture becomes sticky.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for 5–6 minutes, turning regularly. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage. Transfer them to the slow cooker.
Add the onion, carrots and parsnips to the slow cooker around the meatballs. Stir the chopped garlic, passata, chicken stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme and bay leaf together, then pour over everything.
Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs are cooked through. The centre of a meatball should no longer be pink and should reach 75°C if checked with a food thermometer.
For a thicker sauce, mix the plain flour with the cold water to make a smooth slurry. Stir it into the slow cooker during the final 20 minutes, replace the lid and allow the sauce to thicken.
Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then scatter over the parsley.
Serve hot with mashed potato, pasta or crusty bread.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container within two hours. Use within 3 days. Keep separate from any pasta, rice or mashed potato where possible. Defrost: Defrost the cooked meatballs and sauce in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat thoroughly until piping hot, and do not put the frozen dish directly into the slow cooker.

Reheat on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring the sauce and checking that the meatballs are hot in the centre. Only reheat once.

Split leftovers into lunch portions and serve with pasta, mashed potato or a jacket potato. The meatballs can also be cut up and used in a toasted sandwich with grated cheese.

Allergen information

Contains egg, wheat if using standard breadcrumbs, and soya or fish may be present in Worcestershire sauce. Check stock cubes, breadcrumbs and sauces for the allergens relevant to your household.

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

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Carrot, Parsnip and Tomato Sauce

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Carrot, Parsnip and Tomato Sauce

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

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