Slow Cooker Juicy Meatballs (Print)

Tender meatballs simmered in rich tomato sauce, ready to please a crowd with minimal effort.

# Ingredients:

→ Meatballs

01 - 2 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/3 cup whole milk
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Tomato Sauce

11 - 2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes
12 - 1 small onion, finely diced
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs blend
16 - 1 teaspoon sugar
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Instructions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, milk, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix the mixture.
02 - Shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. You should have approximately 30 to 32 meatballs.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of oil. Sear the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides, approximately 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. This step is optional and can be skipped for softer meatballs.
04 - In the bottom of your slow cooker, add olive oil, diced onion, and tomato paste. Stir to combine thoroughly. Pour in crushed tomatoes, dried Italian herbs, and sugar. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - Gently nestle the meatballs into the sauce in a single layer. Spoon a small amount of sauce over the tops to cover.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until meatballs are cooked through and tender.
07 - Serve warm directly from the slow cooker with toothpicks for appetizers or over cooked pasta for a main dish. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • They're the rare dish that tastes like you've been cooking all day when you've barely lifted a finger.
  • Your slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you attend to a hundred other party details.
  • These meatballs disappear faster than you can refill the serving dish, every single time.
02 -
  • Resist the urge to overmix the meat mixture—I learned this the hard way by creating hockey pucks instead of tender meatballs.
  • If you brown the meatballs first, they hold their shape better and develop a richer crust that adds real depth to the final dish.
03 -
  • Keep an ice cream scoop in your kitchen drawer—it shapes uniform meatballs faster than you'd think and they cook evenly because they're all the same size.
  • Don't fill your slow cooker past the fill line or the sauce won't reduce and concentrate properly; give it a little breathing room.
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