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Turkey Meatballs in a Spicy Marinara Sauce

8
8
8
SmartPoints® value per serving
Total Time
6 hr 45 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
6 hr 30 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
Moderate
These will cook up light and tender, thanks to the panko breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

No salt added canned crushed tomatoes

28 oz, one can

Canned tomato paste

5 Tbsp, no-salt-added

Balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp

Dried oregano

1 Tbsp

Fennel seeds

1 tsp

Red pepper flakes

½ tsp

Table salt

½ tsp

Uncooked 93% lean ground turkey

2 pound(s)

Whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs

½ cup(s)

Pine nuts

¼ cup(s), finely chopped

Dried basil

2 Tbsp

Dried marjoram

2 tsp, optional

Instructions

  1. Stir the tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, oregano, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and salt in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker until the tomato paste dissolves.
  2. Mix the ground turkey, panko, pine nuts, dried basil, and dried marjoram, if using, in a large bowl until uniform. Form into 12 compact meatballs, 1/3 cup each. Drop into the tomato mixture in the slow cooker.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into a meatball registers 165F. The meatballs can stay covered on the keep-warm setting for up to 3 hours. Serving size: 2 meatballs and 1/2 cup sauce.