Best Crockpot Meatballs

I am quite excited for your dinner today since these Crockpot Meatballs are set-it-and-forget-it and don’t require browning! These succulent, tangy meatballs combine classic Italian taste with the laissez-faire ease of a slow cooker.

Tender meatballs in the slow cooker—no browning needed! Jarred sauce is used in these healthful slow cooker meatballs to keep the recipe simple and quick!

Prepare in 25 minutes.

COOK: Two hours

In total, two hours and thirty minutes.

PORTIONS: 4 portions, or roughly 12 meatballs

Ingredients For Best Crockpot Meatballs:

1. Lean ground beef 1 pound
2. Half a cup of panko breadcrumbs
3. Two tsp of Worcestershire sauce
4. Two teaspoons of water or any kind of milk
5. Three tablespoons of freshly cut parsley, coarsely chopped, with more for garnish
6. Two tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra for serving
7. One tsp of Italian spice
8. Half a teaspoon of kosher salt
9. Half a teaspoon of powdered onion
10. Half a teaspoon of powdered garlic
11. 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
12. Two big eggs
13. One 24-oz jar of premade spaghetti sauce with tomatoes
14. Three minced garlic cloves (approximately one tablespoon)
15. Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Optional for serving:

1. Polenta, or cooked whole wheat pasta.
2. Cauliflower rice or Brown Rice in an Instant Pot
3. Provolone cheese and hoagie buns combined to make a sub

Instructions For Best Crockpot Meatballs:

• Apply a thin layer of nonstick spray to the bottom of a slow cooker that is five quarters or bigger.
• Add the meat, panko, Worcestershire sauce, milk, parsley, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and eggs to a large mixing bowl.
• Break up the meat with a fork and mix the ingredients until well incorporated.
• Roll the mixture into 2-inch meatballs, taking care not to press the meat into the ball. Wet them a little bit if the mixture is clinging to your hands. Put them in the slow cooker’s bottom, one layer deep. There will be roughly 12 meatballs in all.
• Transfer the pasta sauce onto the surface. Red pepper flakes and garlic should be uniformly distributed.
• After placing the cover on, cook the meatballs on HIGH for two to two and a half hours, or until they are well cooked (cut one in half to make sure). Turn the meatballs over gently with a spoon to coat them in sauce, then scatter the red pepper flakes and garlic over them.
• On taste, add more Parmesan and parsley on the top. As desired, serve.

Notes:

• STORAGE: Meatballs can be kept for up to four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
• TO WARM UP: Warm up leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat.
• TO FREEZE: For up to three months, freeze the meatballs and sauce in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

 

Nutrition Info for the Recipe:

Servings:1 out of 4, or roughly 3 meatballs, 285 kcal of calories, 19g of carbohydrates, 31g of protein, 9g of FAT, 4g of Saturated FAT, 1g of PolyunSATURATED FAT, and 4g of Monounsaturated FAT, 0.4g of TRANS FAT, 155 mg of cholesterrol, POTASSIUM: 1071 mg, FIBER: 3g
SUGAR: 8g, VITAMIN A: 1198IU, VITAMIN C: 18mg, CALCIUM: 120mg, IRON: 6mg

Recipe by: Erin Clarke