Jump to Recipe
Published: April 3, 2014 • Modified: October 13, 201962 Comments »
Tender turkey meatballs spiked with subtly exotic spices and simmered in the slow cooker with a tangy sweet sauce. Pairs perfectly with easy homemade whole wheat naan!
How’s your week going? Is it warming up for ya yet? We are finally getting some milder temperatures and I couldn’t be happier about it! My boys have missed more baseball practices than they’ve attended, with all the cold, rainy days of late. The ground is still pretty soggy at this point, but I know it’s just a matter of time before that works itself out. And, the upshot is, this:
So…. Things have been busy around here! Spring cleaning, and lots of fun projects going on behind the scenes here at Baking a Moment. It’s been so busy, in fact, that I felt the need to pry myself out of bed at 5 am yesterday morning, just to get on top of the laundry situation and have an extra 20 minutes in my day to work out. Whew! It was a tough time getting through the day, but I’m not sorry I did it! It feels good to get a better handle on things.
Today I’m bringing you another savory recipe! And this one’s a whole entire meal. I think you’re really going to love it! For one thing, it can be made in the slow cooker. For another: homemade bread. YES! I am not an experienced bread baker. Cakes I may know, but bread is uncharted territory for me, so you know that if I can do this, so can you 😉 That said, if you are having a crazy busy week like I am, this meal will taste just as good with store-bought naan, and the slow cooker will save you all sorts of time on top of that.
And did I mention the flavors? Oh, right, the flavors are amaaaazing!
The turkey meatballs are so soft and pillowy, spiked with a subtly exotic spice blend, and every now and then you get a pop of sweetness from the golden raisins. The sauce is a little tangy, a little spicy, and full of robust tomato.
Thehomemade whole wheat naan is easy enough. There’s a little bit of downtime, just waiting for it to rise, so I’d recommend starting it in the morning. About 20 minutes before you’re ready to eat, you can preheat your griddle androll out the rounds.They only take a few seconds to cook on the stovetop!
I layeredmy wholewheat naan with a little fresh spinach, and then ladled the saucy meatballs on top. A dollop of creamyGreek yogurtand a little fresh mint are such a great counterpoint to all the earthy flavors!
Everything can be made ahead and kept warm- the meatballs in the slow cooker, and the naan wrapped in foil in the oven, so it’s perfect for those busy evenings when everyone’s coming and going.
I hope you enjoy, and have a great weekend! 😀
**This post was featured on the What’s Cookin’ Wednesday link party at Buns In My Oven**
5 stars (1 rating)
Slow Cooker Morroccan Turkey Meatballs with Homemade Whole Wheat Naan
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 45 minutes mins
Cook Time: 8 hours hrs
Resting Time:: 2 hours hrs
Total Time: 10 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Tender turkey meatballs spiked with subtly exotic spices and simmered in the slow cooker with a tangy sweet sauce. Pairs perfectly with easy homemade whole wheat naan!
Print Recipe Leave a ReviewSave Recipe
Ingredients
For the Moroccan Turkey Meatballs:
- 2 1/2 slices whole wheat bread
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) milk, (I used 1%)
- 1/2 sweet onion,, finely chopped and sautéed in olive oil until translucent
- 1/4 cup (36.25 g) golden raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound (453.59 g) ground turkey, (I used 93% lean)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
- 28 ounces (793.79 ml) tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 carrots,, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 cloves garlic,, finely minced
- 1/2- inch piece of fresh ginger,, peeled
- 2 1/2 tablespoons orange zest, (zest of one orange)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For the Whole Wheat Naan:
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) warm milk
- 1/4 ounce (7.09 g) dry active yeast, (1 packet)
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup (62.5 g) all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 g) Greek yogurt, (I used nonfat)
- 2 tablespoons oil, (I used extra virgin olive oil)
Additionally:
- Greens, (such as spinach, kale, chard, or broccolini, raw, steamed, or sautéed in garlic oil until wilted)
- Greek yogurt, (I used nonfat)
- Fresh mint
Instructions
Make the Moroccan Turkey Meatballs:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly mist a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Place the bread and milk in a large bowl and squeeze the mixture together with your hands, breaking up the bread and combining it with the milk.
Add the cooked onion, raisins, spices, and ground turkey. Stir to combine.
Roll or scoop into 1-inch balls and place in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.
Make the Sauce:
Place all of the sauce ingredients in the crock of a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the meatballs and set to "low," for 8 hours.
Make the Whole Wheat Naan:
Sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the warm milk and set aside to proof.
Place the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Make a well in the center, and add the milk/yeast, yogurt, and oil.
Knead the dough (either by hand or on low speed, using the dough hook attachment), until soft and pliable. (If the dough seems too dry, add a little warm water to bring it together. It should come away from the sides of the bowl, and be soft but not sticky.)
Cover the dough with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Preheat a cast iron griddle on medium-high heat.
Punch down the dough and divide into balls about the size of a lime.
Roll each ball with a rolling pin, to a thickness of about ¼ inch.
Sprinkle the surface of the dough with water, and place on the hot pan.
When the bottom is brown and there are lots of big bubbles on the surface, flip it and cook it on the other side. If desired, brown the surface over an open flame.
Calories: 511kcal, Carbohydrates: 78g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 1330mg, Potassium: 1264mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 4163IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 155mg, Iron: 6mg
Cuisine: Indian, Moroccan
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Tried this recipe?Mention @bakingamoment on Instagram or tag #bakingamoment.
Allie Allie is the creator and owner of Baking a Moment. She has been developing, photographing, videographing, and writing and sharing recipes here since 2012. View all posts
Easy to Make Fall/Winter Savory Seasonal Yeast Breads
62 CommentsLeave a Comment »
FREE BONUS 5 Secrets for Baking Impossibly Soft Cookies
Discover my baking secrets to melt-in-your-mouth soft cookies in 5 free lessons.
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
Leave a Reply
62 comments -
Aubrey — April 20, 2016 @ 3:25 pm Reply
Thank you for this recipe! We’ve been enjoying it for a while. I do have a few questions, my meatballs always always always fall apart in the crock. I have even tried searing them in a pan first. We don’t care for presentation so the sloppy joe look is fine. Also, my sauce is waaaay more runny than yours. My questions are- how can I keep my meatballs together? And how can my sauce be thicker? the flavor leaves nothing to be desired though. This recipe is delicious!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 21, 2016 @ 9:38 am Reply
I’m so happy you like the recipe Aubrey! Thanks so much for the sweet compliments. I think there are a few things you could try to keep your meatballs held together: 1) don’t stir much while cooking, 2) cut back on the bread crumbs a little bit, 3) add an extra egg or even just an egg white. As for the sauce, are you able to keep the lid off the slow cooker for some of the cook time? I notice with my appliance, it tends to really trap the steam sometimes, and then when I go to pull the lid off, all that water will drip down into the food and dilute it. If you could keep the lid off for part of the cook time (maybe towards the end?) then I think it would allow a lot of the water to evaporate off. I hope that helps!
-
Rachel @LittleChefBigAppetite — April 23, 2014 @ 1:23 pm Reply
I can’t get over how delicious this looks! This is right up my alley! Pin!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 23, 2014 @ 5:53 pm Reply
Oh, yay! I’m so happy you like it, Rachel! Thanks so much for pinning, hope you enjoy! <3
-
Liv — April 17, 2014 @ 10:54 pm Reply
You won’t judge me for trying this with frozen meatballs, right?
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 21, 2014 @ 4:17 pm Reply
Not for one second! You gotta take help wherever you can get it 😉
-
Lisa @ Cooking with Curls — April 16, 2014 @ 11:30 am Reply
How on earth did I miss this last week? OMG, that looks amazing!! I still haven’t tried my hand at naan bread, but now I have to. 🙂 I can’t wait to try this Allie!!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 17, 2014 @ 10:15 am Reply
Ha ha thank you Lisa! I’m so intimidated by bread baking, but this was easy and it came out great. Hope you’re having a fabulous week, dearie! 😀
-
Nora (A Clean Bake) — April 12, 2014 @ 2:36 pm Reply
This meal – this whole meal – looks mind bogglingly good. I am only sorry that I don’t have time to make it for dinner tonight because that’s how much I want to try it. The flavors are so inviting and I absolutely love Moroccan spices. Any idea how to make the sauce without a slow cooker? Maybe just simmer on low for awhile?
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 14, 2014 @ 8:52 pm Reply
Oh ya, absolutely! Probably around a half hour or so should do it, but you know, these kinds of things are always better the longer they go. Thanks so much for the awesome feedback, Nora!
-
Jenn — April 10, 2014 @ 9:58 am Reply
Found you from Moonlight & Mason Jars Link Party #50! Can’t wait to make these!!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 10, 2014 @ 7:37 pm Reply
Awesome! Thanks so much for stopping by, Jenn!
-
Kelly — April 8, 2014 @ 10:48 pm Reply
Wow, everything looks amazing Allie! I love love love moroccan food and that you made it in the slow cooker. Your naan looks perfect and so pro too – we always gobble up naan so quickly but I’ve never tried making it at home – I love this whole wheat version and can’t wait to give it a try -pinning – it looks delicious 🙂
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 9, 2014 @ 10:24 am Reply
Thanks for the pin, Kelly! The whole wheat naan was a snap to make and I actually had a lot of fun with it. I’m so happy you liked the post! Thanks so much for the great feedback. <3
-
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats — April 7, 2014 @ 11:11 pm Reply
wow! No words Allie, this looks absolutely amazing and totally up my alley, love moroccan food, love naan, meatballs, sauce.. yup.. everything! Gorgeous mouthwatering pictures. Pinned!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 8, 2014 @ 9:45 am Reply
Thanks so much, Krista, for the awesome comment and for pinning too! I’m so happy you like this one! I enjoy taking my time with my dessert baking, but when it comes to dinner I like to keep it quick and easy 😉
-
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker — April 7, 2014 @ 9:28 pm Reply
Please come make dinner at my place thanks!! This looks delicious!! And I don’t know what you are talking about your bread baking skills coz you sure do look like you are a professional!! Love this meal. Can I come down and enjoy it with you please?
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 8, 2014 @ 9:43 am Reply
Haha thanks but I am truly a novice when it comes to bread making! I hope to get some good practice this year though. Come down any time and share a bite! ;D
-
Nancy @ gottagetbaked — April 7, 2014 @ 7:38 pm Reply
Allie, you could’ve fooled me with that whole bread baking thing. Your naan looks totally pro! And the meatballs sound amazing. I love the Morroccan flavour twist and the fact that this is made in a slow cooker. I just got one so I can’t wait to try this! Your photos are stunning, as always. Only you could make meatballs in sauce look this beautiful!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 8, 2014 @ 9:42 am Reply
Thanks, friend! Honestly the meatballs were surprisingly photogenic, lol! Lots of great colors and I guess I had good light that day 😉 I hope you enjoy and thanks for the great comment! xoxo
-
Grace Williams — April 6, 2014 @ 9:56 pm Reply
This sounds perfectly delish, but I have to say that your photography is phenomenal!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 8, 2014 @ 9:25 am Reply
Thank you so much, Grace! Learning how to take nice photos has been such a fun hobby for me. Thanks for the encouragement! xoxo
-
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods — April 5, 2014 @ 2:48 pm Reply
I’m so ready for Spring. We just had a snow storm and are expecting another today. I love the picture of your new flowers. I can’t wait to see that in my yard. Not to mention, I’d like to see this dish at my dinner table. Looks delicious!!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 6, 2014 @ 9:46 am Reply
Oh Cindy! I’m so sorry to hear you are still under snow, and no flowers yet! This has been such a hard winter. It’s warming up a little bit here in Philly this week, but it’s a slow thaw. I hope the sun makes its way over to you soon! And thanks so much for the sweet comment!
-
Cate @ Chez CateyLou — April 5, 2014 @ 2:47 pm Reply
Can you please come cook me dinner?? This looks PERFECT! I’ve recently become obsessed with Naan, but still haven’t made it yet. Can’t wait to try it – yours looks so good!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 6, 2014 @ 9:43 am Reply
Thanks Cate! You are too sweet! I had a lot of fun making the naan. I’m sure you’d love it too! Hope you’re enjoying this beautiful sunny weekend!
-
Justine@CookingandBeer — April 5, 2014 @ 12:42 pm Reply
I have been on a super Morroccan kick here lately, but the “eat-out” kind of Morroccan. Ha. I haven’t quite delved into making it myself! Love this recipe! Pinned!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 6, 2014 @ 9:42 am Reply
Oh you should totally give it a try, Justine! It’s so super easy. Thanks so much for pinning and I hope you enjoy!
Aubrey — April 20, 2016 @ 3:25 pm Reply
Thank you for this recipe! We’ve been enjoying it for a while. I do have a few questions, my meatballs always always always fall apart in the crock. I have even tried searing them in a pan first. We don’t care for presentation so the sloppy joe look is fine. Also, my sauce is waaaay more runny than yours. My questions are- how can I keep my meatballs together? And how can my sauce be thicker? the flavor leaves nothing to be desired though. This recipe is delicious!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 21, 2016 @ 9:38 am Reply
I’m so happy you like the recipe Aubrey! Thanks so much for the sweet compliments. I think there are a few things you could try to keep your meatballs held together: 1) don’t stir much while cooking, 2) cut back on the bread crumbs a little bit, 3) add an extra egg or even just an egg white. As for the sauce, are you able to keep the lid off the slow cooker for some of the cook time? I notice with my appliance, it tends to really trap the steam sometimes, and then when I go to pull the lid off, all that water will drip down into the food and dilute it. If you could keep the lid off for part of the cook time (maybe towards the end?) then I think it would allow a lot of the water to evaporate off. I hope that helps!
Rachel @LittleChefBigAppetite — April 23, 2014 @ 1:23 pm Reply
I can’t get over how delicious this looks! This is right up my alley! Pin!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 23, 2014 @ 5:53 pm Reply
Oh, yay! I’m so happy you like it, Rachel! Thanks so much for pinning, hope you enjoy! <3
Liv — April 17, 2014 @ 10:54 pm Reply
You won’t judge me for trying this with frozen meatballs, right?
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 21, 2014 @ 4:17 pm Reply
Not for one second! You gotta take help wherever you can get it 😉
Lisa @ Cooking with Curls — April 16, 2014 @ 11:30 am Reply
How on earth did I miss this last week? OMG, that looks amazing!! I still haven’t tried my hand at naan bread, but now I have to. 🙂 I can’t wait to try this Allie!!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 17, 2014 @ 10:15 am Reply
Ha ha thank you Lisa! I’m so intimidated by bread baking, but this was easy and it came out great. Hope you’re having a fabulous week, dearie! 😀
Nora (A Clean Bake) — April 12, 2014 @ 2:36 pm Reply
This meal – this whole meal – looks mind bogglingly good. I am only sorry that I don’t have time to make it for dinner tonight because that’s how much I want to try it. The flavors are so inviting and I absolutely love Moroccan spices. Any idea how to make the sauce without a slow cooker? Maybe just simmer on low for awhile?
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 14, 2014 @ 8:52 pm Reply
Oh ya, absolutely! Probably around a half hour or so should do it, but you know, these kinds of things are always better the longer they go. Thanks so much for the awesome feedback, Nora!
Jenn — April 10, 2014 @ 9:58 am Reply
Found you from Moonlight & Mason Jars Link Party #50! Can’t wait to make these!!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 10, 2014 @ 7:37 pm Reply
Awesome! Thanks so much for stopping by, Jenn!
Kelly — April 8, 2014 @ 10:48 pm Reply
Wow, everything looks amazing Allie! I love love love moroccan food and that you made it in the slow cooker. Your naan looks perfect and so pro too – we always gobble up naan so quickly but I’ve never tried making it at home – I love this whole wheat version and can’t wait to give it a try -pinning – it looks delicious 🙂
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 9, 2014 @ 10:24 am Reply
Thanks for the pin, Kelly! The whole wheat naan was a snap to make and I actually had a lot of fun with it. I’m so happy you liked the post! Thanks so much for the great feedback. <3
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats — April 7, 2014 @ 11:11 pm Reply
wow! No words Allie, this looks absolutely amazing and totally up my alley, love moroccan food, love naan, meatballs, sauce.. yup.. everything! Gorgeous mouthwatering pictures. Pinned!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 8, 2014 @ 9:45 am Reply
Thanks so much, Krista, for the awesome comment and for pinning too! I’m so happy you like this one! I enjoy taking my time with my dessert baking, but when it comes to dinner I like to keep it quick and easy 😉
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker — April 7, 2014 @ 9:28 pm Reply
Please come make dinner at my place thanks!! This looks delicious!! And I don’t know what you are talking about your bread baking skills coz you sure do look like you are a professional!! Love this meal. Can I come down and enjoy it with you please?
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 8, 2014 @ 9:43 am Reply
Haha thanks but I am truly a novice when it comes to bread making! I hope to get some good practice this year though. Come down any time and share a bite! ;D
Nancy @ gottagetbaked — April 7, 2014 @ 7:38 pm Reply
Allie, you could’ve fooled me with that whole bread baking thing. Your naan looks totally pro! And the meatballs sound amazing. I love the Morroccan flavour twist and the fact that this is made in a slow cooker. I just got one so I can’t wait to try this! Your photos are stunning, as always. Only you could make meatballs in sauce look this beautiful!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 8, 2014 @ 9:42 am Reply
Thanks, friend! Honestly the meatballs were surprisingly photogenic, lol! Lots of great colors and I guess I had good light that day 😉 I hope you enjoy and thanks for the great comment! xoxo
Grace Williams — April 6, 2014 @ 9:56 pm Reply
This sounds perfectly delish, but I have to say that your photography is phenomenal!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 8, 2014 @ 9:25 am Reply
Thank you so much, Grace! Learning how to take nice photos has been such a fun hobby for me. Thanks for the encouragement! xoxo
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods — April 5, 2014 @ 2:48 pm Reply
I’m so ready for Spring. We just had a snow storm and are expecting another today. I love the picture of your new flowers. I can’t wait to see that in my yard. Not to mention, I’d like to see this dish at my dinner table. Looks delicious!!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 6, 2014 @ 9:46 am Reply
Oh Cindy! I’m so sorry to hear you are still under snow, and no flowers yet! This has been such a hard winter. It’s warming up a little bit here in Philly this week, but it’s a slow thaw. I hope the sun makes its way over to you soon! And thanks so much for the sweet comment!
Cate @ Chez CateyLou — April 5, 2014 @ 2:47 pm Reply
Can you please come cook me dinner?? This looks PERFECT! I’ve recently become obsessed with Naan, but still haven’t made it yet. Can’t wait to try it – yours looks so good!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 6, 2014 @ 9:43 am Reply
Thanks Cate! You are too sweet! I had a lot of fun making the naan. I’m sure you’d love it too! Hope you’re enjoying this beautiful sunny weekend!
Justine@CookingandBeer — April 5, 2014 @ 12:42 pm Reply
I have been on a super Morroccan kick here lately, but the “eat-out” kind of Morroccan. Ha. I haven’t quite delved into making it myself! Love this recipe! Pinned!
-
Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 6, 2014 @ 9:42 am Reply
Oh you should totally give it a try, Justine! It’s so super easy. Thanks so much for pinning and I hope you enjoy!
