Description
Delicious and hearty Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs cooked to perfection in a flavorful marinara sauce, perfect for pasta dishes, sandwiches, or as a savory appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 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, 24 ounce jars or homemade marinara pasta sauce)
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs until combined. Add ground beef, Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder; mix well using a wooden spoon or your fingers until fully incorporated.
- Broil Meatballs: Preheat broiler to high and position oven rack about 4 to 5 inches from the heat. Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray or oil. Shape the meat mixture into about 40 meatballs, each 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets.
- Brown Meatballs: Broil meatballs for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through to brown evenly.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Move browned meatballs to a 6-quart slow cooker evenly. Pour marinara sauce over the meatballs, covering them well.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours until meatballs reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F and are cooked through.
- Serve: Serve meatballs with your choice of pasta, on hoagie rolls with melted cheese for sandwiches, alongside mashed potatoes, or individually as an appetizer.
- Freezing Instructions: Allow meatballs and sauce to cool completely. Store in resealable plastic bags or airtight containers in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating thoroughly.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 40 meatballs; consider halving if not freezing leftovers.
- Use mild Italian sausage for balanced flavor or spicy for a kick, if preferred.
- Browning the meatballs before slow cooking helps lock in flavor and improves texture.
- Ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F for food safety.
- Leftover meatballs reheat well in the sauce for convenient meals.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball with sauce
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
