These crockpot meatballs simmer in a rich tomato sauce, turning simple ingredients into a tender, flavor-packed comfort meal with almost no effort.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Tender and juicy with classic Italian flavors, simmered in a rich, garlicky tomato sauce that’s both savory and comforting.
- Recommended Tools: A small cookie scoop keeps the meatballs the same size so they cook evenly.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve over spaghetti, polenta, or tucked into toasted meatball subs. They’re even better with homemade garlic bread and a classic Caesar salad to round out the meal.
Best Ingredients for Meatballs
- Ground Beef: Using lean ground beef keeps the sauce from getting greasy. For a heartier meatball, use a beef-and-pork blend. For a bolder flavor, swap half of the ground beef for Italian sausage. If replacing with ground turkey or chicken, add a tablespoon of milk to keep them tender.
- Bread Crumbs: Fine breadcrumbs work best for binding the meatballs. Gluten-free crumbs or crushed crackers can be used as an easy swap.
- Sauce: Use a marinara or pasta sauce you already love since it drives the final flavor, or choose one with garlic and basil for a classic Italian taste.
- Seasonings: Adding Italian seasoning to the slow cooker brings all the flavors together beautifully.
- Variations: Stir in a spoonful of tomato paste near the end for a thicker sauce, or add a Parmesan rind while it simmers for extra savory richness, removing it before serving.
How to Cook Meatballs in the Crockpot
- Combine meatball ingredients and roll into balls (full recipe below).
- Place in the Crockpot and top with sauce.
- Cook the meatballs until they reach 160°F, and the sauce is bubbling.
Storing and Reheating Tips
Store cooled meatballs in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days. Or freeze in meal-sized portions in freezer bags or containers for up to 3 months for best quality.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring the sauce in between. Or reheat in a slow cooker on low, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Yes, you can! They will fully cook in the sauce. Cook until the meatballs reach 160°F in the center.
Yes. Precooked, frozen meatballs will need extra time to ensure they are heated through before serving. Precooked, thawed meatballs will need less time since they only need to warm up. However, it is not recommended to put frozen raw meatballs in the slow cooker. You will want to thaw before adding them.
Yes, cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Keep the lid on as much as possible, and cook until the meatballs reach 160°F.
More Meatball Favorites
Did you enjoy this Crockpot Meatballs Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef
- ⅓ cup Italian bread crumbs
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
For the Sauce
- 1 (28 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes with juices
- 24 ounces pasta sauce or marinara sauce
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Combine all meatball ingredients in 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course, Slow Cooker
Cuisine American, Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Recipe adapted from The ShortCut Kitchen.
I’m and hour into my cook and I just realized I forgot to spray on a layer of cooking spray before I added the meatballs. I am using 85/15. Am I doomed for stuck on the bottom meatballs?
Fingers crossed they don’t stick John!
Sounds good will have to try. Thanks.
Really excellent recipe and oh so simple! It was actually my first time making meatballs and my husband said its the best thing I’ve ever made!!! Really love how the meatballs turned crispy just from sitting in the bottom of the crock pot. The sauce is so simple yet it rivals my grandmother’s recipe.
Will definitely make again, thank you Spend with Pennies!
Can you assemble these at night, leave in fridge and start the next morning?
I haven’t tried that Jacqui. I’d suggest refrigerating the meatballs in the crockpot overnight, and adding the sauce ingredients in the morning (they’ll be room temperature). Enjoy!
is it ok to double the amount of sauce used in this recipe
because i am not sure 3 cups is enough especially when i want leftovers
That should be just fine. You might need to add some extra cook time as the sauce will take longer to heat through initially.
Can I cook this recipe on low instead of high? If so, how many hours 7-8? Thanks
They can be cooked on low. I would suggest about 6-7 hours, you’ll want to ensure they reach 165°F.
I made this for a spaghetti dinner. We found that the sauce was too runny. Should I have drained the crushed or diced tomatoes? Or add a tomato paste? The flavor was delicious and a winning meal at our table.
The tomatoes do not need to be drained. I can’t say for sure why yours was runny but it should thicken up slightly as it cools. Did you use lean beef?
How much meat/meatballs can i put in my old-fashioned 3 1/2Qt crockpot? Usually when I make meatballs on the stove I make three pounds at a time but it takes forever so that’s why I’m trying it this way this time.
Hi Karen, you should be able to fit about 3 to 3½ pounds of meat/meatballs in a 3½ QT slow cooker. Hope that helps!
Hi! If I wanted to double the recipe to have leftovers, would you recommend freezing the meatballs and sauce together or seperately? Thanks I am excited to try this!
I have frozen them together in the past and it worked out great.
Can I place several layers of hamballs in the Crock-Pot together?
That should work just fine. You’ll want to ensure each ham ball reaches 160°F if there is ground pork in them.
This is my first time visiting this website and my first recipe I tried from this website……WOW! I’m so happy I stumbled upon this website and recipe! I just made this for my 6 year old son and he devoured the meatballs! The prep work was so easy and fast (I have very little patience in the kitchen! I like things that are fast and easy, yet flavorful!) This recipe was more than satisfactory and will definitely be making it again!…I also just signed up for the email subscription and got the deal of receiving tons more recipes in the ebooks! Thank you so much for such an awesome website full of awesome, easy recipes!! :)
So glad you love the meatballs, Jennifer. I’m happy that you found Spend With Pennies! I’m sure you’ll find many more recipes to love!
Great recipes
Hi, I notice on the recipe it says pasta sauce and then it calls for whole and peeled tomatoes. Do we have to make pasta sauce and then add more tomatoes to it?
Thanks
Veronica
Hi Veronica, you can make pasta sauce or use 24 ounces of prepared pasta sauce. We do add additional crushed and diced tomatoes to it though.
Hello. I followed your recipe as is however due to two rowdy toddlers my window to cook the meatballs in the crockpot for this evening has come and gone. Is it possible to cook the meatballs in the oven or on the stove top? If so what temperature and for how long would you suggest?
Hi Nicole, you can follow the cooking instructions for our easy meatball recipe for baking them in the oven!
The crockpot meatballs are the best. Plus these are not marble size they are about 2” diameter and they are delicious. I had never tried to make meatballs before and I was concerned that they would fall apart. They stayed intact and they are easy to make.
Hi Holly.
Looking forward to trying your crockpot meatball recipe today. Just a quick question – how big should the meatballs be? Golf ball sized?
Hi Roseann, golf ball size would be perfect.
Hi Holly. Just finished putting this in the crockpot and I cannot wait to eat!! I doubled the recipe and also added sun dried tomato chicken sausage that I browned first. I also made your marinara in the recipe link. It came out so yummy! I love it and I love your recipes. THANK YOU SO MUCH ☺️
What percentage lean ground beef is best so that they don’t get greasy?
I generally use an 80/20 mix.
Hi…. I want to thank you for such great recipes. They are simple yet very good and good for you… I started with your Hamburger soup and followed up with other…so last July I was 271lbs. Today I am 170lbs… lots of hard work and eating right…. tks……..
Wow, congratulations Peter, that’s amazing!! So happy you’ve found some recipes to enjoy along your journey!
Great recipes.