These Slow Cooker Cranberry Turkey Meatballs are the perfect holiday appetizer for your next holiday party. Made in your crock-pot with a simple cranberry BBQ sauce, they are quick to make, festive, and Weight Watchers friendly. I love a delicious appetizer recipe that's both easy to make and healthy. And these homemade turkey meatballs are the ultimate in easy - just a few ingredients, 2 steps, set it and forget it and the crock pot does all the cooking for you.
This turkey meatball appetizer is popular around the holiday season but great for any time of year. They are easy to make, festive, healthy and Weight Watchers friendly. This Cranberry Turkey meatball recipe is 2 WW points. It's the ideal appetizer for a holiday meal, especially if you're serving something other than turkey, such as Ham and scalloped potatoes.
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The holidays are all about appetizers! When else can you justify eating only appetizers for dinner? And when we do get together with family, we like to have a few appetizer nights over the holidays. Our tradition is to have a big spread of finger foods, including food on sticks/skewered foods for our New Year's Eve celebration.
This turkey meatball appetizer fits perfectly in that spread. I also like to have a variety of hot and cold appetizers, like my Easy Layered Nacho Dip (Gluten-free), Greek-style Veggie Phyllo Pizza as well as several healthy and Weight Watchers friendly options for grazing like this recipe (and see below the recipe card for even more healthy Christmas appetizers!)
🥘 Ingredient Notes
Turkey meatballs can often be dry, but I've learned the secret to moist turkey meatballs is in the slow cooking. Oh and then smothering them in this delicious Cranberry BBQ sauce also helps 🙂 A little orange zest added to the mix also lends the turkey meatballs a savory flavor that screams holiday pleasure!
- Cranberry sauce. I use canned cranberry sauce because it's convenient and economical.
- BBQ sauce. You can use your own favorite. I usually use President's Choice Gourmet or my own homemade BBQ sauce.
- Egg. The egg binds the meatballs together
- Ground turkey. Is healthy and lean, and pairs so perfectly with the sauce.
- Green onion. Green onion gives it a fresh flavor and burst of color.
- Orange zest. The orange zest adds a depth of flavor.
- Soy sauce. I used reduced sodium.
- Crushed red pepper flakes. This gives it a little kick of spice.
*See recipe card for amounts
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Cranberry Sauce- you can use canned or homemade cranberry sauce
- BBQ Sauce - you can use any type of BBQ sauce you prefer, but I do NOT recommend using one with hickory flavor
- Ground Turkey - you could substitute ground chicken
🔪 How to Make Cranberry Turkey Meatballs
The original recipe required pre-cooking of the meatballs on a skillet. But if you've been following along with me for a while, you know how I feel about pre-cooking in my slow cooker recipes; it defeats the entire purpose of the slow cooker! Unless it's absolutely necessary, I will not do it. So obviously I eliminated that step, as it really wasn't necessary. Therefore, these delicious cranberry turkey meatballs are the perfect make-ahead appetizer.
- Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray. Place egg white in a large bowl, beat lightly and add ground turkey, bread crumbs, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, green onion, orange zest, and soy sauce. In a large mixing bowl, mix the turkey mixture well and shape into 30 balls. Add meatballs to bottom of slow cooker.
- Combine canned cranberry sauce in a mixing bowl with BBQ sauce and pour over meatballs. Cook on low in slow cooker for 3- 3.5 hours until meatballs are cooked through.
This particular cranberry sauce for meatballs is about as easy as you're going to get! You simply mix your favorite BBQ sauce with a can of cranberry sauce, pour it on and it does its magic in the slow cooker! I like to use President's Choice Gourmet BBQ sauce, but you could use any type. I just don't recommend using anything that has a strong hickory taste.
⏲️ Baking time
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs are a great way to enjoy meatball appetizers because they are a set it and forget it recipe! The turkey meatballs are added to the crock pot, then you pour the sauce on top of the meatballs and walk away. 3 hours later you have perfectly cooked turkey meatballs with cranberry sauce - easy peasy!
🌡️Storage
- These crockpot cranberry turkey meatballs can be stored with the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Simply defrost the frozen meatballs and warm in the microwave
These easy Slow Cooker Cranberry Turkey Meatballs are the perfect healthy holiday appetizer. They are quick to make, festive, and Weight Watchers friendly!
However, these flavorful meatballs aren't only for the holidays; meatballs are always popular at game day get-togethers, family gatherings, or any party for that matter! The great thing about these juicy meatballs is that you cook them up, and then place them on the warm setting until ready. They are the ultimate low-maintenance party recipe!
🔢WW POINTS
This easy recipe is Weight Watchers friendly at 2 WW pts per serving.
If you are a meatball fanatic, you'll love my Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs! It's another delicious meatball appetizer recipe and also a traditional holiday side dish for my family!
And if you still have extra cranberry sauce after making these meatballs, these Leftover Cranberry Sauce Cornmeal Muffins are a delightful way to use it up.
So, if you're looking for healthy Christmas appetizers, this Slow Cooker Cranberry Turkey Meatball Appetizer will check all your holiday boxes!
Happy Holidays!
🎄More Healthy Christmas Appetizers!
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📋 Slow Cooker Cranberry Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Sauce ingredients
- 1 ½ cups canned cranberry sauce 348 ml can
- ⅔ cup Your favorite BBQ sauce * I use President's Choice Gourmet BBQ sauce (from Superstore)
Meatball ingredients
- 1 egg white
- 2 lb lean ground turkey (900 g) )
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup fine bread crumbs
Garnish
- additional crushed red pepper flakes
- additional chopped green onion
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with non stick spray.
- Place egg white in bowl, beat lightly and add ground turkey, bread crumbs, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, green onion, orange zest, and soy sauce. Mix well and shape into 30 balls. *You can use a small cookie scoop to do this, if you prefer.
- Add meatballs to bottom of slow cooker.
- Combine canned cranberry sauce in a bowl with BBQ sauce and pour over meatballs.
- Cook on low in slow cooker for 3- 3.5 hours until meatballs are cooked through. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees F (or 74 degrees C).
- Keep warm until ready to serve. Can be reheated prior to serving.
Garnish
- Garnish with additional chopped green onions and crushed red pepper flakes, as desired.
Notes
-
- These crockpot cranberry turkey meatballs can be stored with the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
-
- This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months.
-
- To reheat: Simply defrost the frozen meatballs and warm in the microwave
- Cranberry Sauce- you can use canned or homemade cranberry sauce
- BBQ Sauce - you can use any type of BBQ sauce you prefer, but I do NOT recommend using one with hickory flavor
- Ground Turkey - you could substitute ground chicken
Mishl says
How many meatballs equals one serving?
Terri Gilson says
Hi Mishl,
A serving is 1 meatball with sauce and that's 2 pts.
Hope that helps!
Terri
Laila Z. says
Made these last year and they were a hit! Any recommendations on if someone wants to double the recipe? I'm not sure how it works with slow-cooker recipes.
Terri Gilson says
Hi Laila,
I'm so glad you loved them! Yes, if you want to double just cook as normal - it shouldn't affect the cooking time. However, you'll just want to double check the internal temperature is in the safe range 165 degrees F and above.
Enjoy!
Terri
Sabrina says
So good! I love all the healthy swaps but these are still so rich in flavour. Thanks!
Kristen says
What a great recipe for this year especially....not sure we need a whole Turkey for just the two adults and the babies, so we might just do this instead.
Terri Gilson says
They could definitely replace a turkey dinner, Kristen!
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man! says
I could really go for these turkey meatballs!
Terri Gilson says
I hope you enjoy them!
Lynnmp says
Making now mixed With veal weiners.
Very easy to make on a snowy day.
Making rice with peas and carrots on the side,
Terri Gilson says
Sounds good - enjoy!
Julia Pinney says
What a great holiday recipe. I would never think to use a slow cooker for this, fantastic idea. I love the cranberry sauce too!
Colleen says
Great recipe! I love that cranberry sauce addition, and the slow cooker is a fantastic way to make meatballs! Delicious.
Terri Gilson says
Thanks, Colleen! Yes, I'm a HUGE fan of that helpful little appliance 🙂
NANCY WU says
love these healthier options then just beef or chicken all the time! thanks for the easy recipe!
Terri Gilson says
You are welcome! Yes, it's a nice change up from beef or chicken!
Joss says
It's nice that these are so easy to make, especially for the holidays! A tasty, stress free recipe.
Terri Gilson says
That's what I love about them too, Joss!