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.
Your recipes are always so easy to follow, and I just love how you include a photo showing all the ingredients.
What percentage fat should you use for this with ground beef?
I use lean beef, 80/20.
Can’t wait to prepare these! Thank you for sharing
Very good and so fast
Awesome! I actully just sear the meatballs in a heavy cast iron then just crock them in sauce for 2 hrs with a seared chopped onion and greeen pepper in the sauce.
I’ve been using this recipe for about a year now and still tweaking it to my liking, but one issue I can’t ever fully resolve is how oily/acidic it can be. I’ve added tomato paste and made a flour roux, but it still doesn’t fully resolve the issue. Do you have any tips on how to get rid of all of the grease/oil? I like a thicker sauce but if I follow the recipe to a T then it’s very thin and acidic to the point where it doesn’t stick to pasta at all. I use 93/7 lean ground beef (no sausage, just replaced it with more beef).
There will be a little fat from the beef, which I usually stir into the sauce. You can skim it from the top before serving or, alternatively, brown the meatballs which should remove a bit more fat.
The sauce should thicken as it rests. You could also cook it uncovered for 30 to 60 minutes to thicken a bit more. For the pasta sauce, I like to use Rao’s marinara as it’s fairly thick and has great flavor. I hope that helps.
I would like to make these for subs at a party.
Can I double this recipe ? Or do the meatballs need to be on the bottom to totally cook thru ?
Thank you !!
Yes, this recipe can be doubled Donna. They don’t need to be on the bottom to cook thru but it may take slightly longer to come up to temperature and to cook so you want to ensure your meatballs reach 165°F before serving. Enjoy!
Do you think deer burger would work? It is low in fat content.
I have never tried it so I can’t say for sure but I think it should work. I would love to hear how it goes for you, Tika!
Could I use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef (I know the beef adds great flavor to the sauce, but trying to use meat I already have). Will the turkey/chicken meatballs hold up just the same in the crockpot? Thanks!
Hi Diane, ground chicken or turkey will both work great! I would love to hear how the recipe turns out for you
Hi! Is there a way to make this without the egg? I have a family member who is allergic to eggs. Thanks!
Hi Alison, I have not made these without egg so I can’t say for sure. Since egg is a binder, I wouldn’t recommend omitting it altogether but maybe another reader has a suggestion on what to use as a substitute.
Can I make the meatballs a day ahead and leave them in the fridge?
Absolutely!
I’m not sure I understand how to assemble the “Sauce” portion of the recipe entitled “Crockpot Meatballs”.
The Sauce Recipe calls for 24 ounces pasta sauce (I assume store bought jarred sauce is ok here), plus several spices as well as 14 oz crushed tomatoes and 28 ounces of diced tomatoes.
**If I opt to click on the link for “pasta sauce” and follow the Easy Marinara Sauce recipe that this link brings you to, I will include all the ingredients listed then use 24 ounces of the sauce that this recipe yields and THEN STILL add the 14 oz crushed tomatoes and 28 ounces of diced tomatoes the “SAUCE” section of the Crockpot Meatballs recipe calls for. Do I have that right?
Yes, that’s correct. You’ll use prepared (homemade or bought) pasta sauce/marinara sauce and add crushed tomatoes (a zestier flavor), diced tomatoes (texture) and seasonings.
Have followed this recipe many times with a few adjustments I usually cook it on low for 6 to 7 hours but this evening I’m cooking on high four hours. I just use the RAO’S sensitive marinara as the sauce. Followed all the instructions for the meatballs, except instead of a teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, I added a teaspoon of the Lipton onion soup mix. Excited to see how it turns out!
That sounds like a delicious substitution, thanks for sharing!
can I just use Victoria’s marinara from Costco and how much?
Absolutely! I would use the same amount of sauce. So if replacing the crushed and diced tomatoes as well, I would use 66oz. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Linda!
I am wondering if I can use a higher fat content ground beef. If I do, are there any adjustments I should make? The beef appears to be more along the lines of 75% lean/25% fat. It’s from an Amish farm so it doesn’t say exactly, and it isn’t labeled as lean. :-) We use it for burgers and it does produce a fair amount of fat/grease that we drain from the griddle. But honestly, it has a consistently great, rich flavor so I was hoping to use it in this recipe.
Would it be a better idea to partially cook the meatball in the oven to eliminate some of the grease, put in the crockpot, and finish them in there? Or completely cook in the oven and use the crockpot to keep them warm? Any ideas would be appreciated! It’s for a 40th anniversary party, and I am cooking for a crowd. :-)
I haven’t tried with a 75% lean so I can’t say for sure Jackie. I use an 85% lean ground beef and the little bit of fat adds a nice flavor to the meatballs. If you are worried about the amount of fat, you can absolutely cook them in the oven and then keep them warm in the Crockpot! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I don’t have diced tomatoes can I use crushed instead
The diced tomatoes can be left out. You can add some extra crushed tomatoes but would suggest a total of 28oz crushed (skip the extra 14 oz). Let us know how it goes!
i wanted to try this with bbq sauce as it will be made as an appetizer for my grandsons birthday coming up soon. How many bottles will we need? I think I will use about a pound and a half of meat. Do we need water? Thank you so much. Love your recipes
You will want approximately 2 cups of sauce and no need for water. I hope this helps Hilda!
How long if I cook on low? I don’t want them to fall apart
I would suggest about 6-7 hours, you’ll want to ensure they reach 165°F. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Sue!
I’m making this tonight but doing the 4 hours on high. Will let you know how it comes out.
Thank you for the recipe
I can’t wait to hear how it turns out Sue!
This recipe is delicious and simple
I was thinking of using a 93 ground beef for the meatballs but that might make them dry in the crockpot. Would a 85 ground beef be better for the crockpot?
I use closer to a 85 ground beef in this recipe to get a bit of fat for moisture and texture. These are not cooked first so you want to make sure you don’t have too much fat but a little bit of fat adds a rich flavor to the sauce.
These sound delicious! Can I make them using only Passata? If so, how many ounces?
I haven’t tried using Passata so I can’t say for sure AC. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!