by Holly
Crockpot Meatballs are an effortless way to prepare tender and delicious meatballs!
No need to pre brown these meatballs, they cook perfectly tender and juicy right in the slow cooker. Sauced up with a rich and chunky tomato sauce and you have a classic Italian style meal, easy as pie!
Crockpot Meatballs
Crockpot Meatballs are really easy to make, simply mix the meatballs and let the slow cooker do all of the work. While I often make homemade meatballs or All Purpose Turkey Meatballs, I love putting them into the slow cooker and coming home to a meal ready to serve!
Using simple ingredients like Italian breadcrumbs and seasonings, onion and parmesan cheese, these meatballs are packed with flavor. Smothered in pasta sauce, diced and crushed tomatoes, garlic, and even more Italian seasoning, these easy crock pot meatballs really satisfy.
Once sauced up, these homemade meatballs in the crockpot cook slowly and evenly, keeping all the juices and flavors tucked neatly inside every savory little meatball.
How to Make Meatballs in a Crockpot?
Once you try this crockpot meatballs recipe it will become your go-to! They’re so easy to make and no frying or baking (which means no extra dishes to wash).
- Combine the ground beef, seasonings, breadcrumbs and egg together.
- Form meatballs and place raw meatballs in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Top with sauce. Cover and let the slow cooker do the work!
Do You Have to Cook Meatballs Before Putting Them in a Crockpot?
No, you do not have to cook meatballs before they go into the Crockpot! If I am using ground beef in the slow cooker (when I’m making Crock Pot Chili or Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese) I pre-cook the beef. For this recipe and slow cooker spaghetti and meatballs, there is no pre-cooking required, just mix, form into balls and place in the bottom of the crockpot.
I use lean beef in this slow cooker Italian meatball recipe, the juices from the meatballs add amazing flavor to the sauce!
What Should I Serve with Meatballs?
Crockpot meatballs can be served as an appetizer or made into a whole meal!
- Serve it over your favorite pasta like spaghetti or penne.
- Turn it into a meatball sub by serving it over a toasted hoagie, top it with mozzarella cheese and broil!
- Mashed potatoes go with anything, why not meatballs!
- Create a meatball casserole by adding fusilli, cover with mozzarella and parmesan cheese and bake at 375˚F for 20 min!
While this homemade crockpot meatball recipe calls for a tomato-based sauce, you can always change it up! Try it with BBQ sauce, sweet and sour sauce, mushroom sauce or a honey garlic sauce! The meatball recipe itself is just so versatile and is delicious with any sauce!
The meatballs can be prepared the night before and refrigerated. In the morning, simply add to the slow cooker, pour the sauce on and let the crockpot do the work!
Take it from me, once you prepare meatballs using this crockpot method, you will never return to your old ways!
Other Great Beef Recipes You’ll Love
- The Best Meatloaf Recipe
- Easy Meat Sauce
- Stuffed Peppers
- Beef Taco Pasta Skillet
- Taco Soup
- Porcupine Meatballs – Kids will love these!
Crockpot Meatballs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- ⅓ cup Italian bread crumbs
- ¼ cup onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup parsley fresh, chopped
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Sauce
- 24 ounces pasta sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes canned, undrained
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
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Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a a bowl. Using a tablespoon, form 24 meatballs. Place uncooked meatballs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over meatballs and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
- Serve over pasta.
Nutrition Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
REPIN this Easy Meatball Recipe
How do you remove all of the grease when cooked?
I use lean beef in this slow cooker meatball recipe. The juices from the meatballs add amazing flavor to the sauce and are not drained. If you find a little extra fat floating on top, you can mix it in, or remove it with a spoon or paper towel. Enjoy the meatballs Kathy!