Crock Pot Cheese Stuffed Turkey Meatballs in homemade marinara sauce is a family favorite in my house and perfect for a busy school night dinner! These are made grain free, low carb, keto, and gluten free!
How to Make Turkey Meatballs
You may or may not be in love with your crock pot. If you have been scarred from one too many dry dinner recipes that made you feel like you could never trust it anymore, I can relate. I’ve been there too.
But given the right balance of time and liquids and you’ve got a winning recipe for the family.
This is my favorite way to add flavor to a somewhat bland kind of meat, ground turkey. The addition of spices and stuffed with cheese, slow cooked in a homemade marinara make this a recipe your family will ask you for often.
Slow Cooker or Baked Turkey Meatballs
Everyone loves meatballs so stuffing them with cheese was just something that had to happen in my opinion.We are a family of cheese lovers. I’ve made this recipe with both mozzarella and fontina, both equally delicious. The fontina is a bit more ooey gooey as you will see from the pics.
I’ve added directions to bake in the oven if you don’t have a slow cooker. Either way is delicious!
This recipe makes 2 dozen so you should have enough left overs as well.
Warning: If you have a boy teenager in the house, like my son, you may not have much left over at all. My own son, who after having been sick for a week barely eating, enjoyed about 8 of these the first night his appetite was back. True story.
Other fabulous Slow Cooker Meals to feed the whole family:
Moral of today:
If you’re ready to love your crock pot again and make peace with it if it has failed you terribly in the past, this recipe is the one that will help you make amends. 🙂
If you like this recipe, you’ll find many more in my Meal Plan Membership.
Crock Pot Turkey Meatballs
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Crock Pot Cheese Stuffed Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup pork rinds crushed
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey
- 8 ounces Fontina cheese cut into 24 pieces or mozzarella
Marinara Sauce
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Crock Pot Directions
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In a large bowl whisk the eggs, pork rinds, cheese and seasonings together.
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Add the ground turkey and mix just until combined.
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Roll mixture into 24 meatballs.
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Insert 1 cube of cheese into the center of each meatball. Set aside.
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In a separate bowl stir together the marinara sauce ingredients.
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Pour enough sauce to cover the bottom of the crock pot.
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Place meatballs in the crock pot and cover with remaining sauce.
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Cover and cook on high 3 hours or low 6 hours.
Oven Directions
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Follow the recipe up until you put the sauce in the crock pot. Instead place half the sauce into a 9 by 13 baking pan. Add all the meatballs and cover with remaining sauce. Bake 30 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink when cut open.
Recipe Notes
Net Carbs: 7g
This recipe was first published in September 2014 and updated with video in January 2019.
Heather+//+girlichef says
September 29, 2014 at 8:14 amWe are also a family of cheese-lovers…I don’t know which I want to try more, the fontina or the mozzarella. I think I’d have to go half and half! And since I do have a teenage boy in the house (and a swimmer, at that), I think these would be the perfect dinner.
Martha @ A Family Feast says
September 29, 2014 at 8:50 amSo much goodness stuffed into these meatballs – and the fact that you can make them in a crock pot makes them even better!
Kellie+@+The+Suburban+Soapbox says
September 29, 2014 at 9:14 amI love that you made these in the crock pot!!! And that cheese…..oh.boy. 🙂
Renee+-+Kudos+Kitchen says
September 29, 2014 at 9:30 amYou just can’t go wrong with a stuffed meatball. I love that you used two kinds of cheeses and ground turkey. I’m going to pin your recipe and hopefully try it very soon. It look like something my family will really enjoy!
Brenda says
September 30, 2014 at 7:18 amThanks for pinning!
Ashley+@+Wishes+and+Dishes says
September 29, 2014 at 11:37 amYeah I’ve been burned by my crock pot a time or two LOL I am willing to give it another try though! I love the Fontina cheese used here – that’s actually my favorite cheese ever.
christine says
September 29, 2014 at 2:22 pmI used to have a love/hate relationship with mine. Then I realized that my crock just cooks a lot “hotter” than others. Once I realized how to adjust the cooking time, I fell back in love. These meatballs look amazing and fontina is by far my favorite cheese!
Lora+@cakeduchess says
September 29, 2014 at 5:35 pmI don’t know why I never bake meatballs in my slow-cooker…wow! This is the recipe I will make next! My kids will be delighted:)
Amanda+@The+Kitcheneer says
September 29, 2014 at 7:34 pmI LOVE this! I am making a stock of slow cooker recipes and I am definitely making this one!
Ginny+McMeans says
September 29, 2014 at 8:13 pmThis actually looks like a fun recipe to put together. Love that it can go in the slow cooker too. I LOVE my crock pot.
rocio says
September 29, 2014 at 10:22 pmI just made this and was super delicioso
Brenda says
September 30, 2014 at 7:16 amWow You are fast!! Glad you liked them!
Stephanie+@+Back+For+Seconds says
September 29, 2014 at 10:31 pmI LOVE using my crock pot and these are just begging for me to make them. Thanks for the great recipe!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
September 30, 2014 at 7:59 amBrenda, it was so good to see you again. . um, hello?! love these meatballs!!! I can’t believe I’ve never made meatballs in my slow cooker!!! It’s my fave appliance in the fall. . love this and pinned!
Brenda says
September 30, 2014 at 11:47 amSo nice seeing and chatting with you this weekend Alice!! Thanks for pinning too!
Christie+-+Food+Done+Light says
September 30, 2014 at 12:37 pmThese look so delicious. My daughter would be thrilled with the cheese in the middle.
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos says
September 30, 2014 at 11:08 pmOh my heavens – slow cooked in a crockpot and with cheese inside? Love this meatball recipe!
Meseidy says
September 30, 2014 at 11:31 pmOMG! These meatballs are a treat!
Kim+Beaulieu says
October 1, 2014 at 12:26 amThis is divine. I want to run right into my kitchen right this minute and whip this up.
Nutmeg+Nanny says
October 1, 2014 at 5:42 amCheese stuffed meatballs! Yes please!
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says
October 1, 2014 at 8:16 amThey look awesome! I have made stuffed meatballs before but never in the crockpot.
Melissa+from+HungryFoodLove.com says
October 1, 2014 at 11:13 amI grew up eating cheese stuffed meatballs and I can’t believe I don’t make them often. They are the best and this recipes sounds so much better. I should try it!
trisha says
October 17, 2014 at 8:05 pmI could not find fontina cheese. Would swiss, cheddar or cream cheese be a good alternative?
Brenda says
October 17, 2014 at 10:32 pmMozzarella would work. I wouldn’t use Swiss myself, not a fan. Cheddar would be fine too.
Dawn says
October 22, 2014 at 12:26 pmThese were amazing! Found Fontina at Kroger and Food Lion. The kids and the hubby said,
“Make these again” — with my newly found, sugar free marinara recipe. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Marta says
February 3, 2015 at 12:52 pmThis was so amazing, my daughter and hubby loved them! Sooo good!
Jessica says
September 23, 2016 at 8:37 amHello, I’m curious on the carb content, I did not see it listed on the nutrition list. Thank you.
Brenda says
September 23, 2016 at 11:45 amSorry the plug in I switched to is not working properly. I will need to get back to you on that.
Brenda says
September 24, 2016 at 8:24 amTotal Carbs: 4.5g
Dietary Fiber: 0.6g
Net Carbs: 3.9g per serving
JanetB says
September 23, 2016 at 7:52 pmWow!! I made this because I had the ground turkey and didn’t have a recipe. I had to change the oats to quinoa because I’m Celiac and they were totally delicious!! I also didn’t have time to put them in the crock pot and just browned them in the frying pan and poured the sauce over top and let it simmer for a few minutes. I don’t think I’ll ever eat ground beef again!! Thanks again!!
Brian Schultz says
August 20, 2017 at 9:07 amSo, it says you cook on low for 6hours, but the total cook time at the top says 8hrs w 20 min prep? And since I’m new to this …so you just mix the packaged turkey with the ingredients and roll into balls then it cooks thoroughly through out the meatballs?
Brenda says
August 20, 2017 at 9:16 amI just switched my recipe plug in and I’m finding a few errors when it was converting recipes to the new plug in. This is one of them as well as making all my serving sizes crazy unrealistic like 1 gram! Anyway, I updated the time issue here, thanks for letting me know. Yes make the meatballs, roll them up, add to crock pot.
Brian Schultz says
August 20, 2017 at 10:38 amThank you so much!!! The kids can’t wait….Dad is being Mr mom now. Lol…
Alisha Hall says
September 19, 2017 at 8:15 amThese are amazing!!! Easy and very tasty! I can’t wait to make them again!
Penny says
December 29, 2017 at 4:20 pmWhat else could you sub for the oats to keep it Keto friendly?
Thanks,
Penny
Brenda says
December 30, 2017 at 7:28 amI’d sub crushed pork rinds or just use more grated parmesan,
Doreen says
February 17, 2018 at 3:32 pmMade this it was delish. Even my unloving turkey son liked it.
Danielle says
September 3, 2018 at 12:50 pmCan we use ground chicken instead of turkey? Also, can I make thematic few days in advance and freeze beforehand?
Brenda says
September 3, 2018 at 3:52 pmSure! And yes you can bake freeze then thaw when you want them.
Lily says
September 24, 2018 at 12:45 pmI forgot the old fashioned oats at the store but have quick oats. Would those work?
Brenda says
September 24, 2018 at 12:50 pmsure
Dolores Salerno says
January 3, 2019 at 11:11 amHi Brenda ~ I’m not a fan of pork rinds. What else could I use in its place and still keep it Keto friendly.
Tx/Dolores
Brenda says
January 3, 2019 at 11:33 amTry almond flour
Robin says
January 3, 2019 at 7:55 pmMade these tonight after reading the post this morning. OUTSTANDING! Thank you for keeping the healthy ideas family friendly and recipes easy to make! The recipe is a repeat for this family!
Bryan Martinez says
January 3, 2019 at 9:38 pmThese meatballs look sooo tasty! I love that they’re cheesed stuffed too. I’ll have to make this recipe soon, thank you!
Darcy Fitzpatrick says
January 4, 2019 at 2:47 pmI have a similar recipe like this where I use buffalo sauce and blue cheese. I never use them in the crock pot- I think I will now.
JoAnne says
January 4, 2019 at 8:15 pmhelp!!!!! I don’t eat pork. at all!!! and every recipe depends on pork rinds….I can get around with almond flour and parmesan usually, but now what for meatballs?? help!!
Brenda says
January 4, 2019 at 9:17 pmAlmond flour will work for these as well.
Veronica says
January 5, 2019 at 10:50 amCan you use ground beef instead? If so should it be the same amount asTurkey? Thanks
Brenda says
January 5, 2019 at 2:38 pmSure you can use ground beef, same amount.
Stacey Smith says
January 7, 2019 at 4:47 pmIt’s in my crockpot right now ! I put the rest of my crumbled pork skins on top , had to add salsa to the marina because I didn’t have enough crushed tomatoes.
Stacy Smith says
January 17, 2019 at 8:12 amIt was very good! Will make again!
Kristy says
January 12, 2019 at 12:32 amWhat can I sub for pork rinds? Almond flour? Would the measurement be the same?
Brenda says
January 12, 2019 at 6:55 amYes almond flour would work, same amount.
Kerri says
January 12, 2019 at 10:16 amIf I assemble and freeze couple days before and pop in crock pot while still frozen on a busy morning?
Brenda says
January 12, 2019 at 9:40 pmThat should work.
Emily C says
January 20, 2019 at 10:27 amI have this same recipe that I printed out a few months back, but it says 1/2 cup rolled oats and nothing about pork rinds.
Is there a reason the recipe changed? What is the pros of using pork rinds over the oats? Thanks!
Brenda says
January 20, 2019 at 10:29 amYes I swapped the rolled out to make this low carb by using the pork rinds. You can use either.
Emily K. says
March 20, 2019 at 12:55 pmThis recipe was a win for the whole family, including my picky 6 year old. I never one to post comments after a dish is made but this one was a true homerun! Thank you!
Brenda says
March 20, 2019 at 1:15 pmThanks Emily!
Kelly Slebodnik says
May 29, 2019 at 6:32 pmWhat temp in the oven, please? Thanks!
Brenda says
May 30, 2019 at 9:07 amI’ve not made these in the oven but other meatballs I’ve made without cheese filling at 400 for 20 minutes. Maybe reduce to 375 or 350 for so they don’t dry up the cheese in the center.