Crockpot Buffalo Turkey Meatballs (Gluten Free, Whole30)

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These Crockpot Buffalo Turkey Meatballs are a delicious and healthy twist on the classic buffalo chicken and are a tasty appetizer for football Sundays or any big game.

A plate with gluten free buffalo turkey meatballs stacked on top of each other with a small bowl filled with ranch on the side.

This buffalo turkey meatball recipe is my favorite appetizer to make for a Super Bowl party or game day snack.

I have a bit of a love affair with buffalo flavors, check out my buffalo chicken dip, crispy gluten-free buffalo chicken, and my buffalo chicken jalapeno poppers. I also have a thing for meatball recipes. Meatballs are so easy to make for a weeknight meal and are great for meal prep. Check out my gluten-free Swedish meatballs and my easy baked bison meatballs.

Jump to:

Ingredients
Substitutions
Step by Step
Frequently ask questions
Tips and notes
What to serve with
Storing and reheating
Recipe

Ingredients

Garlic powder, onion powder, and dill in small bowl. Almond flour in a bowl. Ground turkey in a large bowl. And egg. A bottle of hot sauce. A small bowl with salt and pepper. A bowl with diced celery and diced onions.

Ground turkey- I use 97/3

Substitutions

Ground turkey- I like to use lean ground turkey (usually 97/3). You can use lean ground chicken if you don't have ground turkey. Note: If you use 99% ground turkey or ground chicken your meatballs might be slightly dry. Having a little extra fat helps keep them from drying out. You can also make this with ground beef if you don't have turkey or chicken.

Hot sauce- I love using Frank's Red Hot Sauce but you can use whatever brand you like or bottled buffalo sauce like Frank's Buffalo Sauce or Primal Kitchen's Buffalo Sauce. Any buffalo wing sauce will work, just make sure to read your labels if you want to keep this a Whole30 or Paleo friendly recipe.

Almond flour- You can substitute gluten free breadcrumbs or gluten free panko breadcrumbs. I have not tried this recipe with any other gluten free flour but I would suggest sticking with almond flour, breadcrumbs, or panko. Note: if you substitute gluten free breadcrumbs or gluten free panko then this recipe will no longer be Whole30 or Paleo.

Onion- I like to use yellow onion but you can use red onion or even green onions.

Step by Step

A bowl with ground turkey, an egg, diced celery, diced onion, almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried dill inside.

A bowl filled with ground turkey mixed with seasonings, egg, almond flour, diced celery, and diced onion.

A crockpot filled with uncooked turkey meatballs.

A crockpot filled with uncooked turkey meatballs covered in hot sauce.

A crockpot filled with buffalo turkey meatballs with fat sitting on top of the meatballs and sauce.

A crockpot filled with buffalo turkey meatballs and the fat skimmed off the top of the meatballs and sauce.

Dice the celery and onion.
Combine ground turkey, one large egg, celery, onion, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, salt, pepper, and one cup almond flour in a large bowl (make sure to not over mix or your meatball will end up tough).
Using your hands or a cookie scoop, roll the mixture into one inch balls, and in a single layer line the bottom of your slow cooker with the buffalo meatballs.
Cover the meatballs with hot sauce and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
When the meatballs are done cooking, use a spoon to skim the fat off the top of the sauce.
Place the cooked meatballs on a plate and pour the remaining ½ cup buffalo sauce over the meatballs.

Serve with toothpicks and a side of ranch. Or see other serving suggestions below.

Frequently ask questions

How do I keep meatballs from sticking to my hands?

I like to keep a small bowl of water next to me while rolling the meatballs so I can easily dip my fingers in the water to keep the meat from sticking to my hands.

Why are my turkey meatballs rubbery?

If you overwork the meatball mixture then your meatballs will be rubbery. You want to combine the ground turkey with the other ingredients gently.

Tips and notes

The meat mixture will be sticky so I like to keep a small bowl of water next to me while I'm rolling the meatballs. I dip my fingers in the water to help me have clean hands and keeping your fingers wet will help prevent the meatball mixture from sticking to your hands.

When the meatballs are done cooking there will be a layer of fat on the top of the sauce/meatballs. I use a spoon to skim as much of the fat off the top as I can before adding extra hot sauce for serving.

What to serve with

These easy buffalo turkey meatballs are great on their own, or here are some ways you can serve them.

Serve with a side of ranch, celery sticks, and carrot sticks.
Serve with a side of blue cheese dressing or blue cheese crumbles (serving with blue cheese dressing or crumbles will make this not Whole30 or Paleo).
Add to a fresh salad and top with ranch dressing.
Serve with a side of rice and veggies for an easy weeknight dinner.

Storing and reheating

You can store these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

I usually reheat these in the microwave and they still taste great! You can also reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Your feedback is so important to me.