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This slow cooker sausage meatball and pepper casserole is a true dump-and-go dinner! Italian sausage and ground turkey get mixed into meatballs, and they go into the slow cooker raw, on top of sliced peppers and onions and covered with marinara. No browning, no extra pan, and no stirring while it cooks. A layer of melty mozzarella goes on at the end, and dinner is done!
This is exactly the kind of recipe I want on a busy day: a few minutes of prep up front, and then the slow cooker does the rest. I tested this a few different ways, and absolutely love the flavor bomb from the tomatoes and peppers. This has instantly become one of our family staples!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No browning required — the meatballs go in raw, so there’s no skillet to wash
- Hands-off cooking — set it, then come back to finish with the cheese
- Sausage flavor, lighter base — Italian sausage brings the flavor, and ground turkey keeps the meatballs from being all sausage
- Peppers and onions built in — a vegetable and the protein cook together in one pot
- Flexible to serve — over pasta, rice, or zucchini noodles, or even in a sub roll
How to Make These Meatballs
- Mix the meatballs. In a large bowl, gently combine 1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed), 1 pound ground turkey, ½ cup breadcrumbs or panko, 1 egg, ¼ cup grated parmesan, 2 minced garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined.
- Shape them evenly. Roll into about 20 to 24 meatballs, roughly 1½ inches each. Keep them a consistent size so they all finish cooking at the same time. A few oversized ones are the most common reason a batch cooks unevenly.
- Layer the slow cooker. Spread sliced bell peppers (I like mixed colors) and a sliced yellow onion on the bottom, then pour half of the marinara/canned tomatoes over them. The vegetables act as a bed that keeps the meatballs up out of the bottom of the pot.
- Add the meatballs and sauce. Nestle the raw meatballs on top in as close to a single layer as you can. Spoon the rest of the sauce over them so they’re mostly covered.
- Cook. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for about 3 hours, until the meatballs reach 165°F and the peppers are tender. Slow cookers vary, so start checking at the low end of that range.
- Melt the cheese. Sprinkle 1½ cups shredded mozzarella over the top, cover, and cook on high for another 10 to 15 minutes, until melted.
Tips for Success!
- Sauce- I use both marinara and canned whole tomatoes. San Marzano tomatoes are the highest quality! I do like the mixture of both, but you can also choose to only use one or the other. It does make these meatballs extra saucy, which I love!
- Meatball placement- ensure you layer the crockpot with the onions and peppers first! This prevents any of the meatballs from browning on the bottom. or sticking to the pot.
- Want deeper flavor? You can broil the meatballs quickly or brown them on the stove. I have made this a few different ways, and they do get a little extra flavor with the browning, but it’s certainly not necessary! In fact, I prefer this to be more hands off.
- Swap the sausage. Mild or hot Italian sausage works in this recipe. You can even use all sausage in place of ground turkey. I just prefer the leanness of ground turkey and like to mix them together.
Serving and Storing
Serve this over pasta, rice, or spaghetti squash. You can even serve in a toasted sub roll with a little extra mozzarella. These meatballs even taste delicious on their own with a side salad or with garlic bread.
These meatballs will hold up in the fridge for up to 5 days, and the flavor tastes even better the next day. You can also freeze in an air tight container for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Sausage Meatball and Pepper Casserole
Fully raw meatballs, Italian sausage blended with lean ground turkey, dropped straight into a slow cooker with peppers, onions, and tomato sauce. No browning, no separate pot, just melty mozzarella on top at the end.
Ingredients
- 1 pounds Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 pounds ground turkey
- 1/2 cups breadcrumbs or panko
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cups grated parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, divided
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 bell peppers, sliced (mixed colors)
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 28 oz can of San Marzano whole tomatoes
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 cup marinara sauce, optional, see note
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently combine the ground turkey, Italian sausage (casings removed), breadcrumbs, egg, grated parmesan, garlic cloves, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Form into 1.5 inch balls (about 24 – 28 meatballs).
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the whole tomatoes, remaining Italian seasoning, red wine vinegar, and marinara sauce (if using, see notes). Break up the large tomatoes as much as possible with a fork or by pressing down with a whisk.
- Layer the vegetables and sauce. Spread the bell peppers and sliced onion on the bottom of the crockpot. Pour 1/2 of tomato sauce on top.
- Nestle the meatballs on top of the vegetables, as close as you can to a single layer. Pour the remaining sauce on top, ensuring that each meatball is mostly covered.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through (165 degrees internal temperature). If there is a layer of grease from the sausage, skim the top if needed.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the meatballs and sauce. Cover and cook on high for an additional 15 minutes.
Notes
I use marinara sauce in addition to the whole tomatoes to make this recipe even more saucy. I prefer that ratio, but if you prefer a meatier sauce, you can omit the 1 cup. Alternatively, you can use all marinara sauce in place of the whole tomatoes.
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