Description
Delicious slow cooker cranberry BBQ meatballs made with ground turkey, seasoned with spices, baked to perfection, and simmered in a tangy homemade cranberry BBQ sauce. Perfect as a flavorful appetizer or main dish, this recipe combines savory and sweet flavors with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1/2 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 2 cups BBQ sauce
- 1 batch homemade cranberry sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the meatball ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, whisked egg, almond flour, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Use your hands to gently mix until evenly combined.
- Form and bake meatballs: Using a tablespoon, scoop out and roll the meat mixture into 20 meatballs. Drizzle olive oil over the parchment-lined sheet pan and arrange the meatballs on it. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F (74°C).
- Prepare the cranberry BBQ sauce: Whisk together cranberry sauce, BBQ sauce, ground mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Set aside.
- Transfer and slow cook: Once meatballs are cooked, transfer them to the base of your slow cooker. Pour the cranberry BBQ sauce over the meatballs and gently toss to coat thoroughly.
- Cook in slow cooker: Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours to allow flavors to meld and meatballs to stay tender.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs warm, garnished with thinly sliced green onion and toothpicks for easy serving.
Notes
- Use ground turkey for a leaner option, but ground beef or chicken can be substituted.
- Make your own cranberry sauce or use store-bought for convenience.
- Ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F for safety.
- Slow cooking the meatballs in sauce infuses them with rich flavors and keeps them moist.
- Great party appetizer served with toothpicks or family-friendly main dish with sides.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 62.4 g
- Sodium: 1218.6 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 87.3 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 21.3 g
- Cholesterol: 99.8 mg
