Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs

Key Ingredients

Ground Beef: If you want to keep these meatballs on the lighter side, then make sure to use a lean ground beef that's at least 90% lean. If you aren't worried about that, any ground beef will work. You can also swap in ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.

Ground Italian Sausage: This is the secret ingredient in this recipe, it adds so much flavor. You could swap in extra ground beef, but you will need to add some extra spices since you won't get all the flavor in the sausage.

Crushed and diced tomatoes: These are for making the sauce. San Marzano tomatoes will give you the best flavor, but any canned tomatoes will work. Using both the crushed and diced provides a nice texture of the sauce. You could also use some whole tomatoes, just break them up with a wooden spoon.

Garlic and herbs: In order to get a rich flavor in the meatballs and in the sauce, you want to add lots of garlic, parsley, and dried herbs. If you love garlic, you can add extra. Italian seasoning is a great way to add lots of flavor with just one seasoning mix or you can add your own combination of dried basil, parsley, and oregano.

Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese serves a dual purpose in these meatballs as both a flavor agent and binder. Parmesan, romano, pecorino, or any combination of these classic Italian cheeses will work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find the answers to all the most common questions about cooking meatballs in the slow cooker.

Could this recipe be made with frozen meatballs?

For a quicker way to make Italian meatballs in the slow cooker, you can swap in a bag of frozen meatballs. Just make the sauce as directed and add the frozen meatballs and sauce to the slow cooker. Cook for 3-6 hours on low, depending on whether the meatballs are raw or precooked.

Can you overcook meatballs in the slow cooker?

It is difficult to overcook meatballs on the stove or in the slow cooker, as long as the meatballs are cooked on low. Many people mistake tough meatballs for overcooked meatballs. Tough meatballs are usually caused by the meat being overmixed or overly compressed.

Do the meatballs need to be browned before being added to the slow cooker?

This recipe doesn't require the meatballs to be browned beforehand, but taking a few minutes to brown them first will add even more flavor. The meatballs can be browned in a hot skillet or browned in the oven at 400 degrees. This can also help the meatballs to stay together if you have found your meatballs fall apart in the crockpot.

Can meatballs be reheated in the slow cooker?

These meatballs can be reheated in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. Just reheat them until warmed through and keep the slow cooker set to warm.

Marti

January 11, 2022 - 12:40

We just love these meatballs! It’s important not to stir the slow cooker for at least 2 hours so the meatballs stay whole. I also add 1Tbs sugar to take the acidic edge off the canned tomato. My husband eats them with pasta but I just eat them straight!

Jennifer

March 17, 2023 - 22:57

Thanks for this. I had to do another batch because the sauce was a little acidic. Second batch + some sugar = perfectly tasty.

B R

March 7, 2016 - 16:13

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These were delicious! I did make a few alterations to the recipe: 1) I baked the meatballs in the oven at 375 F for 20 minutes before adding them to the sauce, and 2) cooked them on HIGH for 6 hours, partially removing the lid for the last hour to help thicken the sauce (it is quite thin). I also used regular diced tomatoes since I didn't have the Italian version, but increasing the Italian Seasoning, and adding some cumin and other spices took care of that. I'm not a fan of the red pepper flakes, but have to say they really kicked this up from good- to great-tasting for me. I will be making this again!