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

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

Instructions

Put the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, egg, half the garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Mix gently until combined, then shape into about 20 evenly sized meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for 5–6 minutes, turning carefully, until coloured on several sides. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer them to the slow cooker.
Add the onion and sliced peppers to the same pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring to collect any browned bits. Add the courgette and remaining garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour the passata and hot stock into the pan. Stir in the tomato purée, smoked paprika, caster sugar and balsamic vinegar, then bring just to a simmer.
Pour the sauce and vegetables over the meatballs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the meatballs are cooked through, piping hot and no longer pink in the centre.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Scatter with Parmesan and basil, then serve with spaghetti, crusty bread or mashed potato.

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.
Fresh breadcrumbs → 30 g porridge oats
The texture will be slightly softer.
Parmesan → Mature Cheddar
Use a finely grated mature Cheddar for serving.
Fresh basil → Extra fresh parsley
Add it just before serving.

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 any pasta separately if possible. Defrost: Defrost the cooked meatballs and sauce in a covered container in the fridge overnight. Reheat until piping hot throughout before serving; do not refreeze after reheating.
Reheating: Reheat the meatballs and sauce in a saucepan over a medium heat or in the microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring the sauce as needed. Reheat only once and add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Leftover ideas: Break up leftover meatballs into the sauce and use them as a filling for toasted rolls, or serve with baked potatoes and grated cheese.

Allergen information

Contains egg, gluten if using standard breadcrumbs, milk and sulphites from the balsamic vinegar. Check labels on stock, breadcrumbs and Parmesan for additional allergens.

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: 240 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 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced
1 medium courgette, cut into 1 cm half-moons
700 ml passata
250 ml hot chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
40 g finely grated Parmesan, to serve
15 g fresh basil leaves, to serve

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Slow cooker

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

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Pepper, Courgette and Tomato Sauce

Name: Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Pepper, Courgette and Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 265 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500 g turkey mince; 50 g fresh breadcrumbs; 1 medium egg; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon fine salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced; 1 medium courgette, cut into 1 cm half-moons; 700 ml passata; 250 ml hot chicken stock; 2 tablespoons tomato purée; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon caster sugar; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 40 g finely grated Parmesan, to serve; 15 g fresh basil leaves, to serve

Tender turkey meatballs cook gently in a rich tomato sauce with sweet roasted peppers and courgette. Serve with spaghetti, crusty bread or creamy mash for an easy family dinner.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 4 hrs
Total: 4 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 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced
1 medium courgette, cut into 1 cm half-moons
700 ml passata
250 ml hot chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
40 g finely grated Parmesan, to serve
15 g fresh basil leaves, to serve

Substitutions

Turkey mince → Chicken mince (Use the same quantity and cook until piping hot throughout.)
Fresh breadcrumbs → 30 g porridge oats (The texture will be slightly softer.)
Parmesan → Mature Cheddar (Use a finely grated mature Cheddar for serving.)
Fresh basil → Extra fresh parsley (Add it just before serving.)

Instructions

Put the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, egg, half the garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Mix gently until combined, then shape into about 20 evenly sized meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for 5–6 minutes, turning carefully, until coloured on several sides. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer them to the slow cooker.
Add the onion and sliced peppers to the same pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring to collect any browned bits. Add the courgette and remaining garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour the passata and hot stock into the pan. Stir in the tomato purée, smoked paprika, caster sugar and balsamic vinegar, then bring just to a simmer.
Pour the sauce and vegetables over the meatballs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the meatballs are cooked through, piping hot and no longer pink in the centre.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Scatter with Parmesan and basil, then serve with spaghetti, crusty bread or mashed potato.

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 any pasta separately if possible. Defrost: Defrost the cooked meatballs and sauce in a covered container in the fridge overnight. Reheat until piping hot throughout before serving; do not refreeze after reheating.

Reheat the meatballs and sauce in a saucepan over a medium heat or in the microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring the sauce as needed. Reheat only once and add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

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

Allergen information

Contains egg, gluten if using standard breadcrumbs, milk and sulphites from the balsamic vinegar. Check labels on stock, breadcrumbs and Parmesan for additional allergens.

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

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Pepper, Courgette and Tomato Sauce

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Pepper, Courgette and Tomato Sauce

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

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