Description
Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender meatballs made from ground beef and Italian turkey sausage simmered in a rich, homemade tomato sauce. Perfect for serving over spaghetti, in a hoagie bun for sandwiches, or as a party appetizer.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Sauce
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 0.75 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Meatballs
- 0.75 cup breadcrumbs
- 0.5 cup milk
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.25 medium onion, finely diced
- 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1.75 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1.75 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 cup shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground 90/10 beef
- 1 pound ground Italian turkey sausage
Instructions
- Make the Sauce: Set your slow cooker to low, then add the crushed tomatoes, diced onion, bay leaf, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently to combine the ingredients well.
- Soak the Breadcrumbs: In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let them soak together for a few minutes until the breadcrumbs absorb the milk and become soft.
- Add the Other Meatball Ingredients: To the soaked breadcrumbs, add minced garlic, diced onion, chopped fresh parsley, freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt, dried oregano, shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, and the large egg. Mix everything together with a fork. Then add the ground beef and ground Italian turkey sausage. Use your hands to gently mix until all ingredients are just combined without overworking the mixture.
- Shape the Meatballs: Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking and pinch off about one tablespoon of meat mixture. Roll it into a ball slightly smaller than a golf ball. Place each meatball directly into the tomato sauce in the slow cooker. Repeat until all the meat mixture is used. It’s normal if some meatballs aren’t fully submerged; they will cook evenly as they settle in the sauce.
- Cover and Cook: Secure the lid on your slow cooker. Cook the meatballs on low heat for 5 hours. For a longer cook, you may extend to 8 to 10 hours on low, or 5 hours on high if pressed for time.
- Serve: Serve these tender meatballs over spaghetti, on a hoagie bun for a delicious meatball sandwich, or as a standalone appetizer. If desired, transfer the sauce to a skillet over medium-high heat to reduce and thicken it to your preferred consistency. Stir in any fat that forms on top for added flavor.
Notes
- Keep your hands wet while shaping meatballs to prevent sticking.
- You can use a small #40 cookie scoop to make evenly sized meatballs.
- If the sauce is too thin after cooking, reduce it in a skillet to thicken.
- Any fat floating on top of the sauce can be stirred in to enhance flavor.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce freeze well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 meatballs
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 570 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
