Instructions

• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray or line them with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup non-fat milk and 3 large eggs until combined.
• Add 20 ounces 93% lean ground turkey and 12 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage (if using sausage links, remove and discard casings) to the egg mixture.
• Add 3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs plus 2 tablespoons, 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan/pecorino/asiago, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
• Mix the ingredients gently with a fork or your fingers until just combined; avoid compacting the meat.
• Using a 1 1/2-inch scoop or spoon, portion and roll the mixture into meatballs (you should have about 38). Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each meatball.
• Bake the meatballs at 450°F for 3 minutes. Remove the sheets, flip each meatball, switch the top and bottom sheets between racks, then return to the oven and bake 3 more minutes. The meatballs should be lightly browned on the outside but not fully cooked through.
• Lightly coat a 5-quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker (use tongs or a spatula to avoid breaking them).
• Pour half of the two 24-ounce jars of prepared tomato pasta sauce over the first layer of meatballs, then add any remaining meatballs on top and pour the remaining sauce over them so all meatballs are covered.
• Cover and cook on High for 2 hours or Low for 4 hours, until meatballs are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
• Serve warm with whole wheat pasta, sub-style buns, over polenta, or on their own as an appetizer. Sprinkle additional grated cheese for serving, if desired.