Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs Recipe
If there is one thing my family can agree on, it’s that Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs always make a fabulous meal!
I love that these slow cooker Italian meatballs can be used for meatball subs, as a side to a pasta dinner or just eaten alone with some fresh veggies! This post contains affiliate links.
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Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs
We’re big on family dinners together. But I’m not big on spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
I love that I can prep these and go for the day.
Plus, this makes a pretty big batch so I like to take half the batch of meatballs and freeze them for another night.
When we have a crazy busy night I simply pour some sauce in the slow cooker along with the frozen meatballs I made the last time and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Or, if you want to speed up the process for a last-minute supper, put them on the stove with the sauce and bring to a boil.
Turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes and dinner’s ready!
In case you’re wondering, this recipe will make about 36 medium-size meatballs.
That’s some serious eating!
Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs Ingredients
- 2 lbs. of meat (ground beef, Italian sausage or turkey). I like to use 1 pound of Italian sausage, 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 1/4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 jar of spaghetti sauce or you can use your favorite homemade spaghetti sauce recipe
Directions for Meatballs
Step 1: In a slow cooker, mix the spaghetti sauce, along with about 1 teaspoon crushed basil.
Step 2: In a bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, onion and egg.
Step 3: Shape the mixture into 1-2 inch size meatballs.
Step 4: Once you have shaped your meatballs you can put these directly into your sauce in the slow cooker.
If you want to cut down on the grease in the sauce, bake the meatballs for 15 minutes at 350 degrees to cook them just a bit and get the grease out.
Step 5: Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Oh my mouth is watering just writing about these slow cooker Italian meatballs!!!
And don’t forget, this recipe makes about 36 medium-sized slow cooker Italian meatballs, so be sure to freeze some for another easily family dinner.
Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs
These slow cooker Italian meatballs make a fabulous family dinner -- from meatball subs to a side for a pasta dinner to just eaten alone with some fresh veggies!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. of meat (ground beef, Italian sausage, turkey) I used 1 pound of Italian sausage, 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 1/4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 Jar of Spaghetti sauce or you can use your favorite homemade spaghetti sauce recipe
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, mix the spaghetti sauce, along with about 1 teaspoon crushed basil.
- In a bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, onion and egg.
- Shape the mixture into 1-2 inch size meatballs.
- Once you have shaped your meatballs you can put these directly into your sauce in the slow cooker. If you want to cut down on the grease in the sauce, bake the meatballs for 15 minutes at 350 degrees to cook them just a bit and get the grease out.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
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Easy enough and looks delicious – pinned and can’t wait to give it a shot! Thanks for sharing!
I definitely believe in easy! And it’s a terrific family dinner which you can make multiple ways. Happy eating!
Meatballs look so good. Thank you.
Why have I never thought to cook meatballs in the slow cooker before? So easy! Thanks for the recipe. (visiting from Friday Favorites)
I love cooking with my crockpot! Enjoy the meatballs 🙂
I love slow cookers. Coming home to a meal that is mostly done is one of the best things in the world! I’m sure these will taste as good as they look!
I would love it if you would share this post on my weekly link-up : )
YUM! These looks delicious and SO easy! I love that you don’t have to baby them!
Simple recipes are my personal favorite 🙂 Happy eating!
Oh I just love meatballs. Thanks for sharing your recipe on Creative K Kids Tasty Tuesdays. I hope you will join us again next week.
I’m always up for some meatballs and these look so easy and hands-off! And I love having some on hand in the freezer for those really crazy days, so I’m glad to see this makes extra 🙂
Always always always make extra! It’s such a sanity saver during the week 🙂
These would be simple enough to whip up for dinner during a week night. I love meatballs, nom nom nom.
You know that I love simple and good 🙂 Happy eating!
This sounds so tasty! Meatballs is just one of those dishes that everyone likes. However, as a Swede I have never seen Italian sausage mince? What is special about that?
The flavor!!! It has extra flavor to it. 🙂 Happy eating!
I can’t wait to tr this! We’re big spaghetti and meatball fans over here, and I love how little effort this one tThanks for sharing with Share the Wealth Sunday!akes!
Looks delicious! Sorry it took so long to visit – I’m a tad behind!! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner link up!
This recipe came out delicious using ground turkey. Also wonderful using vodka sauce from a jar. I used La Paesana.
I will be making this recipe very soon, just delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen
This has become my go to meatball recipe. So easy and so delicious! Thanks!
Yeah! So glad you’re loving the recipe 🙂
A slow cooker is really an amazing kitchen toy that everybody should have, although I don’t have one. Ha! These meatballs look so perfect. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!
These look like they would be great for a cold winter’s night! Thanks for sharing with us at the Snickerdoodle link party! This will be one of my features this Saturday.