Slow Cooker Chili Meatballs

I’ve been making meatballs in my crockpot for years now, and I can’t believe it took me this long to turn them into chili. Something about coming home to a house that smells like cumin and garlic just makes everything better. Plus, meatballs are way easier to serve than regular chili when you’re feeding a crowd.

The beauty of crockpot chili meatballs is that you can prep everything the night before if you want. I usually brown the turkey and chop the onions while I’m already cleaning up after dinner. Then in the morning, I toss it all in the slow cooker and forget about it. No standing over a stove. No stirring every fifteen minutes.

Want it spicier? Add more chili powder. Prefer ground beef over turkey? Go for it. This recipe is pretty forgiving, which is exactly what I need on busy weeknights.

SAVE NOW

What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to grab ground turkey that’s somewhere between 85-93% lean. The 93% lean option is great if you’re watching fat content, but the 85% lean will give you juicier, more flavorful meatballs since it has a bit more fat. Either way, your meatballs will turn out just fine since they’re cooking low and slow in all that chili goodness. If ground turkey isn’t your thing or you can’t find it at the store, ground chicken or even lean ground beef work as easy swaps.

SAVE NOW

Options for Substitutions

This chili meatball recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Ground turkey: You can easily swap ground turkey for ground chicken, lean ground beef, or even ground pork. Each will give you a slightly different flavor, but they all work great in this recipe.
• Black beans: Feel free to use pinto beans, kidney beans, or even a mix of different beans. Just make sure to drain and rinse them well.
• Mushrooms: Not a mushroom fan? You can leave them out entirely or replace them with diced zucchini or bell peppers for extra veggies.
• Frozen corn: Fresh corn cut from the cob or canned corn (drained) both work fine here. You can also skip the corn if you prefer a more traditional chili.
• Diced tomatoes: If you don’t have canned diced tomatoes, you can use crushed tomatoes or even fresh tomatoes that you’ve chopped up yourself. Just keep the juice in there for moisture.
• Spices: Don’t have garlic or onion powder? You can use fresh garlic (about 4 cloves) and fresh onion instead. Just add them when you’re forming the meatballs and cooking.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making crockpot meatballs is making them too large, which can leave you with raw centers even after hours of cooking – aim for golf ball-sized portions or smaller so they cook through evenly in the slow cooker.

Another common error is skipping the step of browning your meatballs in a skillet before adding them to the crockpot, which only takes 5-10 minutes but adds a deeper flavor and helps them hold their shape better during the long cooking time.

Don’t forget to gently stir the chili halfway through cooking to distribute the spices and prevent the bottom from sticking, but be careful not to break apart your meatballs in the process.

If your chili looks too watery at the end, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking to let some of the liquid evaporate and thicken up the sauce naturally.

SAVE NOW

What to Serve With Chili Meatballs?

These chili meatballs are hearty enough to eat on their own, but I love serving them over a bed of rice or quinoa to soak up all that delicious sauce. You can also pile them into warm tortillas or over tortilla chips for a fun nacho-style meal that everyone will love. A dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, and some sliced avocado on top make great finishing touches. If you want something on the side, a simple corn bread or some crispy baked sweet potato wedges round out the meal nicely.

Storage Instructions

Store: These chili meatballs keep really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two, so it’s a great make-ahead meal for busy weeknights.

Freeze: This recipe is perfect for freezing! Let it cool completely, then portion it out into freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual servings so I can grab just what I need for lunch or dinner.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. If it seems a bit thick after storing, just add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1100-1300
• Protein: 90-105 g
• Fat: 25-35 g
• Carbohydrates: 160-180 g

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 tbsp onion powder (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 lb ground turkey (or ground beef for richer flavor)

For the chilli:

• 1 lb frozen corn
• 1 tbsp chili powder (I use McCormick)
• 8 oz mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin (for authentic chili depth)
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 15 oz black beans (drained and rinsed)
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 28 oz diced tomatoes (I prefer San Marzano)
• 15 oz tomato sauce

Step 1: Prepare the Meatball Mixture

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey with 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, mixing gently with your hands until just combined—don’t overwork the mixture or the meatballs will become dense.

Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Form the mixture into approximately 20-24 meatballs, each about the size of a walnut.

I prefer to wet my hands slightly while shaping to prevent sticking and create smoother meatballs.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegetable and Spice Base

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin

While shaping the meatballs, dice the yellow onion into 1/2-inch pieces and slice the mushrooms.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and onion powder with the chili powder and ground cumin—mixing these spices together ensures even distribution throughout the dish and prevents clumping when added to the crockpot.

Step 3: Layer Ingredients in the Crockpot

• meatballs from Step 1
• 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• diced onions from Step 2
• sliced mushrooms from Step 2
• 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb frozen corn
• spice mixture from Step 2

Place the formed meatballs from Step 1 into your crockpot, arranging them in a single layer on the bottom.

Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over the meatballs, then scatter the diced onions and sliced mushrooms on top.

Drain and rinse the black beans and add them along with the frozen corn (no need to thaw).

Sprinkle the spice mixture from Step 2 evenly over everything, then stir gently to distribute the spices and vegetables while keeping the meatballs intact.

I like to use a gentle hand when stirring so the meatballs don’t break apart.

Step 4: Cook and Finish

Cover the crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 3-4 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

The chili should be simmering gently—if cooking on low, you should see just a few bubbles breaking the surface when you lift the lid.

Taste the chili and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed before serving.

Slow Cooker Chili Meatballs

Delicious Slow Cooker Chili Meatballs recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 47 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the meatballs:

• 1 tbsp onion powder (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 lb ground turkey (or ground beef for richer flavor)

For the chilli:

• 1 lb frozen corn
• 1 tbsp chili powder (I use McCormick)
• 8 oz mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin (for authentic chili depth)
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 15 oz black beans (drained and rinsed)
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 28 oz diced tomatoes (I prefer San Marzano)
• 15 oz tomato sauce

Instructions

 

• In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey with 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, mixing gently with your hands until just combined—don't overwork the mixture or the meatballs will become dense. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Form the mixture into approximately 20-24 meatballs, each about the size of a walnut. I prefer to wet my hands slightly while shaping to prevent sticking and create smoother meatballs.
• While shaping the meatballs, dice the yellow onion into 1/2-inch pieces and slice the mushrooms. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and onion powder with the chili powder and ground cumin—mixing these spices together ensures even distribution throughout the dish and prevents clumping when added to the crockpot.
• Place the formed meatballs from Step 1 into your crockpot, arranging them in a single layer on the bottom. Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over the meatballs, then scatter the diced onions and sliced mushrooms on top. Drain and rinse the black beans and add them along with the frozen corn (no need to thaw). Sprinkle the spice mixture from Step 2 evenly over everything, then stir gently to distribute the spices and vegetables while keeping the meatballs intact. I like to use a gentle hand when stirring so the meatballs don't break apart.
• Cover the crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 3-4 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and the vegetables are tender. The chili should be simmering gently—if cooking on low, you should see just a few bubbles breaking the surface when you lift the lid. Taste the chili and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed before serving.