Description
These Crockpot Meatballs are tender, flavorful, and perfect for everything from appetizers to hearty weeknight dinners. Made with seasoned ground beef, garlic, Parmesan, and Italian herbs, they’re slow-cooked in marinara sauce for maximum flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, Parmesan cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix until just combined—do not overmix.
2. Using your hands or a cookie scoop, shape the mixture into evenly-sized meatballs.
3. Optional: Brown the meatballs in a skillet over medium heat for added flavor and texture.
4. Pour a layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker.
5. Add the meatballs in a single layer or slightly stacked, then pour the remaining sauce over the top.
6. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours, until meatballs are fully cooked (internal temp should reach 165°F).
7. Serve warm with pasta, subs, or as party appetizers.
Notes
Don’t overmix the meatball mixture—this keeps them tender, not tough.
Browning the meatballs adds flavor, but you can skip this for quicker prep.
Store leftovers in sauce for up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American-Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: crockpot meatballs, slow cooker meatballs, meatball recipe