Slow Cooker Gluten-Free Turkey Quinoa Meatballs Recipe

Gluten-Free Turkey Quinoa Meatballs

prep time
cook time
total time
makes
8 -10 servings

Our turkey quinoa meatballs are delicious, healthy and packed with protein! And best yet—you can prep them early then leave them in the slow cooker until you’re ready to eat!

They are also gluten-free! We used quinoa instead of breadcrumbs and they came out with just the right texture. Now turkey can be a bit dry, so we added a small amount of olive oil to the recipe. Serve turkey quinoa meatballs over gluten-free spaghetti or even on their own!

Watch the Video by clicking hereWatch our video on how to make quinoa!

Slow Cooker Gluten-Free Turkey Quinoa Meatballs

what you'll need
  • 2 lbs ground turkey
  • 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp Romano cheese, grated, or Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with Italian herbs
  • 15 oz can crushed tomatoes with Italian herbs
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 pinch sugar, if needed
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Gluten-Free Turkey Quinoa Meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 268 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 852mg 36%
Potassium 248mg 7%
Total Carbohydrates 13g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 6g
Protein 19g 38%
Vitamin A 12%
Vitamin C 27%
Calcium 12%
Iron 12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
let's do it
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees then coat a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, add ground turkey, cooked quinoa, garlic, egg, olive oil, cheese, basil, oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper. With your hands or a wooden spoon, mix ingredients together gently, but thoroughly.
  2. Portion turkey mixture into cocktail-sized meatballs, somewhere between the size of a ping-pong ball and a golf ball—using the same size scoop that you make cookies with will make fast work of this! Roll mixture between both palms until you achieve a smooth surface on the outside of the meatball—this process will ensure that the meatballs will not fall apart in the sauce. Space meatballs evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
  3. Place tray in oven and let bake for 12 minutes. While meatballs are baking, add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano and bay leaves into slow cooker and mix well.
  4. Remove meatballs from oven then let cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to the sauce. Cook on low for 6–8 hours then taste the sauce for seasoning—if the sauce is a bit acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance it out. Don't forget to remove the bay leaves before serving. They are indigestible!
  5. Serve over gluten-free spaghetti. Enjoy!
One Last Thing

Slow-cooked tomatoes can taste slightly acidic. To solve that dilemma, add a pinch of sugar to bring back the sweet!

Slow Cooker Gluten-Free Turkey Quinoa Meatballs Recipe