Description
This Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs recipe combines tender ground beef and Italian sausage with aromatic spices and Parmesan, slow-cooked in a rich marinara sauce to create flavorful, juicy meatballs perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or as an appetizer.
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, 24 ounces each, or homemade)
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. Stir with a wooden spoon or mix with your fingers until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Broil Meatballs: Preheat the broiler to high and position the oven rack about 4 to 5 inches from the heat source. Lightly grease two baking sheets with cooking spray or oil. Shape the meat mixture into approximately 40 meatballs, each about 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and place them evenly on the baking sheets. Broil for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the meatballs are browned on all sides.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Carefully transfer the browned meatballs to a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the meatballs, ensuring they are well coated. Cover the slow cooker with its lid.
- Slow Cook: Cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours until the meatballs are thoroughly cooked with an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The slow cooking allows the flavors to meld and the meatballs to become tender.
- Serve: Serve the Italian meatballs on top of cooked pasta, inside split hoagie rolls with melted cheese for meatball subs, alongside buttery mashed potatoes, or on their own as a delicious appetizer.
- Freeze for Later: To freeze, allow the meatballs and sauce to cool completely. Place them in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container in a single layer. Freeze and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating until warmed through.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 40 meatballs, so consider halving the ingredients if you don't want leftovers to freeze.
- Use mild Italian sausage for a balanced flavor; you can substitute with spicy sausage if you prefer a kick.
- If you don't have a broiler, you can bake the meatballs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Ensure the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F for safe consumption.
- Leftover meatballs freeze well, making this recipe ideal for meal prep and quick dinners.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball with sauce
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 620 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: 90 mg
