Description
This Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs recipe features tender, flavorful meatballs made from ground beef, Italian sausage, and seasoned breadcrumbs, cooked to perfection in a rich marinara sauce. Perfect for serving with pasta, in sandwiches, or as a hearty appetizer, these meatballs are easy to prepare and slow cook for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Mixture
- ½ cup milk
- 4 eggs
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 12 ounces mild Italian sausage, bulk or casings removed
- 1 ¼ cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce
- 6 cups marinara pasta sauce (2 jars of 24 ounces each or homemade)
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until well combined. Add ground beef, Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir with a wooden spoon or use your fingers to mix everything thoroughly until well combined.
- Broil Meatballs: Preheat the broiler to high and position an oven rack about 4 to 5 inches from the broiler element. Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray or oil. Using your hands, shape the mixture into about 40 meatballs, each 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and place them evenly on the prepared baking sheets.
- Cook Meatballs Under Broiler: Broil the meatballs for 6 to 8 minutes, turning them halfway through, until they develop a browned crust on all sides.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Carefully transfer the browned meatballs to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add Sauce and Slow Cook: Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the meatballs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C).
- Serve: Serve the meatballs hot atop cooked pasta, inside split hoagie rolls with melted cheese for meatball sandwiches, alongside mashed potatoes, or on their own as an appetizer.
- Freeze for Later: Allow the meatballs and sauce to cool completely before placing them in a resealable plastic bag in a single layer or in a Tupperware container. Freeze and thaw overnight in the refrigerator when ready to reheat until hot.
Notes
- This recipe yields a large batch of meatballs; consider halving the ingredients if you do not wish to freeze leftovers.
- Broiling the meatballs before slow cooking ensures a nicely browned exterior and enhanced flavor.
- Use homemade or your favorite jarred marinara sauce for best results.
- Ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F for safe consumption.
- Leftover meatballs freeze well – freeze in a single layer for easy thawing and reheating.
- Serve with pasta, bread, or mashed potatoes for versatile meal options.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
