Description
This Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs recipe features tender, flavorful meatballs made with ground beef, Italian sausage, and seasoned breadcrumbs, simmered in rich marinara sauce. Perfect for serving over pasta, in sandwiches, or as a hearty 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)
Instructions
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until combined. Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir with a wooden spoon or mix using your fingers until the mixture is well combined.
- Prepare for Broiling: Preheat the broiler to high and place an oven rack about 4 to 5 inches from the heat source. Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray or oil.
- Shape Meatballs: Using your hands, shape approximately 40 meatballs that are 1 to 2 inches in diameter from the mixture. Place the formed meatballs evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets.
- Broil Meatballs: Broil the meatballs for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking, until they are browned on all sides.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Move the browned meatballs to a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the meatballs.
- Cook in Slow Cooker: Cover and cook the meatballs on low heat for 4 to 5 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs topped with sauce over pasta, in hoagie rolls with melted cheese for meatball sandwiches, alongside mashed potatoes, or on their own as an appetizer.
- Freeze for Later: Let the meatballs and sauce cool completely. Place them in a resealable plastic bag or Tupperware container and freeze in a single layer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating until warm throughout.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 40 meatballs, so consider halving it if not freezing leftovers.
- Browning the meatballs under the broiler before slow cooking helps develop flavor and texture.
- You can use homemade marinara sauce or store-bought jars as preferred.
- Ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F for safe consumption.
- Leftover meatballs freeze well and make a convenient future meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball with sauce
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
