Description
Delicious and hearty Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs made with a blend of ground beef and Italian sausage, baked to perfection, then simmered in rich marinara sauce until tender. Perfect for serving over pasta, in sandwiches, or as a savory 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, 24 ounce jars or homemade)
Instructions
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: 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 use your fingers to mix until well combined.
- Preheat Broiler: Heat the broiler to high and position an oven rack about 4 to 5 inches from the heating element. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with cooking spray or oil.
- Shape Meatballs: Using your hands, form about 40 meatballs, each 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets.
- Broil Meatballs: Broil the meatballs for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through to brown evenly on all sides.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Move the browned meatballs carefully to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add Sauce and Cook: Pour marinara sauce evenly over the meatballs. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until meatballs reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs on pasta, inside hoagie rolls with melted cheese for sandwiches, alongside mashed potatoes, or enjoy them as an appetizer.
- Freeze (Optional): Allow meatballs and sauce to cool completely. Freeze in resealable plastic bags or containers in a single layer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly before serving.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 40 meatballs; consider halving if not freezing leftovers.
- Use mild Italian sausage for balanced flavor; spicy sausage can be substituted for a kick.
- Browning meatballs under the broiler before slow cooking locks in flavor and helps texture.
- Make sure the internal temperature reaches 160°F for safe consumption.
- Leftover meatballs freeze well and retain flavor when reheated gently.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball with sauce
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 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: 85 mg
