Hearty Slow-Cooker Italian Meatballs
These hearty Italian meatballs are slow-cooked to perfection in a rich marinara sauce, offering a delicious and fuss-free meal.
Equipment
- large bowl
- large skillet
- slow cooker
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1.5 lbs mixed ground meat (beef and pork)
- 0.5 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 0.25 cup milk
- 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 small onion, finely grated
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for browning, optional)
- 24 oz jarred marinara sauce
Instructions
Preparation
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, parsley, minced garlic, grated onion, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; mix gently just until combined.
- Form the mixture into approximately 1 to 1.5-inch balls, yielding about 25-30 meatballs.
Cooking
- Optionally, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in batches until a crust forms, then transfer them to the slow cooker; if skipping this step, spray the slow cooker insert with cooking spray.
- Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the meatballs, ensuring they are mostly submerged.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
Notes
For best texture, avoid overmixing the meatball mixture. Browning the meatballs before slow cooking adds an extra layer of flavor and helps them hold their shape better. Serve these meatballs with your favorite pasta, in a sub roll, or as an appetizer with toothpicks.