Easy Crockpot Meatball Recipe
This easy crockpot recipe yields tender, flavorful meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce. Perfect for a hearty family meal or entertaining, these meatballs require minimal effort for maximum taste.
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Medium-sized bowl
- fork
- Skillet (optional)
- Cookie scoop (optional)
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 28-ounce
- 1 can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce 15-ounce
- 3/4 onion medium, finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Meatballs
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 onion medium, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground beef 90/10
- 1 pound ground Italian turkey sausage
Instructions
Preparation
- In a slow cooker set to low, combine crushed tomatoes, 3/4 medium onion, bay leaf, sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; stir well.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix breadcrumbs and milk.
- Add garlic, 1/4 medium onion, parsley, pepper, salt, oregano, cheese, and egg to the breadcrumb mixture, mixing with a fork. Then add ground beef and turkey, gently combining with your hands.
Cooking
- Keeping hands wet, roll tablespoon-sized portions of meat into balls (smaller than a golf ball) and place them directly into the sauce in the slow cooker. They will submerge as they cook.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook for 5 hours on high, or 8 to 10 hours on low.
Serving
- Serve meatballs over spaghetti, on hoagie buns, or as an appetizer. To thicken the sauce, reduce it in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Notes
Keep your hands wet with water while rolling meatballs to prevent stickiness. If some meatballs aren't submerged in sauce initially, they will settle in as they cook.