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Slow Cooker Meatballs

This is basically the very same tried and true meatball recipe that I make the conventional way (over and over again…my people will tell me if they ever tire of it, I’m sure!).  I usually start them in the oven, and then finish them in the sauce on the stove.  But now, here we go, they are adapted for the slow cooker.  Because, yay, slow cookers.

Plate of spinach and spaghetti with Italian Meatballs.

Italian Meatballs in the Slow Cooker

The beauty of the slow cooker is of course the proverbial set it and forget it appeal.  Instead of monitoring them in the oven, and then in the sauce, you plunk them into the sauce in the slow cooker and just stroll away for 4 hours, up to 6.

Italian Meatballs in a slow cooker.

What Size Should Meatballs Be?

In this recipe (and in these photos) you will see 1 ½ inch size meatballs, which in the words of Goldilocks we find not too big and not too small.  You can make bigger or small meatballs as you like, and the cooking time will be pretty much the same, perhaps a little longer for meatballs 2 inches or larger.

This works best if you have a large slow cooker with a lot of surface area on the bottom.  A larger appliance prevents them from squishing a bit as they cook, but you can stack a light second layer on the bottom layer if you need to.  

Woman forming meatballs and placing them on a foil-lined baking sheet.

What Pasta to Serve with Meatballs:

There are really no rules to this.  Any long skinny noodle nice to twirl with meatballs, such as linguine, fettucine, thin spaghetti.  My family even likes angel hair, though I usually pair that delicate noodle with smaller meatballs.  You can also serve these with stubbier cuts of pasta like ziti, penne, cavatappi, and rigatoni.

Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs: A perfect classic meatball recipe, adapted for the slow cooker. 

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What the Kids Can Do

Tear the bread into pieces, combine it with the milk and egg, and form the meatballs (wash hands very thoroughly with warm soapy water before and after!) Pull the parsley from the stem and chop with an age appropriate knife. 

Plate of spaghetti and Italian Meatballs with spinach next to a slow cooker.

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Meatballs:

Italian Meatball on a bed of spaghetti.

Other Slow Cooker Comfort Food Recipes:

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Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs

5 from 1 vote
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 People
A perfect classic meatball recipe, adapted for the slow cooker, so you can set it and forget it.

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 slice plain bread
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg , lightly beaten
  • 1 pound ground beef (90/10%)
  • ½ pound ground pork
  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese , divided
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups tomato sauce for pasta, store-bought or homemade

Instructions 

  • Tear the bread into small pieces and place them into a large bowl. Pour the milk over the bread and use your fingers to work the bread and milk together into a paste. Mix in the egg. Add the beef and pork, half the Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Use your hands to combine the mixture gently but thoroughly.
  • Form the meat mixture into nice round meatballs, about 1½ inches in diameter.
  • Place the Tomato Sauce in a slow cooker. Gently add the meatballs to the slow cooker with your fingers or a spoon, tucking them into the sauce, and spooning over some of the sauce so that the meatballs are lightly covered with sauce.
  • Set the slow cooker for 4 hours on low, 6 if you have meatballs that are larger than 1 ½ inches in diameter.
  • When the meatballs have completely cooked through you can leave them on warm while you make the pasta of your choice. Serve the rest of the Parmesan to sprinkle over the meatballs as you all like.

Notes

In this recipe (and in these photos) you will see 1 ½ inch size meatballs, which in the words of Goldilocks we find not too big and not too small.  You can make bigger or small meatballs as you like, and the cooking time will be pretty much the same, perhaps a little longer for meatballs 2 inches or larger.
This works best if you have a large slow cooker with a lot of surface area on the bottom.  A larger appliance prevents them from squishing a bit as they cook, but you can stack a light second layer on the bottom layer if you need to.  

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 1074mg, Potassium: 806mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 771IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 147mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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