Slow Cooker Juicy Meatballs (Printer-friendly)

Tender meatballs slow-cooked in rich tomato sauce, ideal for appetizers or main dishes.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tsp salt
10 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Tomato Sauce

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

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, milk, minced garlic, fresh parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
02 - Form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs approximately 1.5 inches in diameter, yielding approximately 30 to 32 meatballs.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of oil. Sear meatballs in batches until browned on all sides, approximately 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Omit this step for softer meatballs.
04 - In the slow cooker base, add olive oil, diced onion, and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Pour in crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs blend, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Gently nestle meatballs into the sauce in a single layer. Spoon sauce over tops to ensure coverage.
06 - Cover and cook on low setting 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 course. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They stay warm and tender for hours, which means you can actually enjoy the party instead of hovering over the stove.
  • The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, and the aroma that fills your kitchen is honestly worth the recipe alone.
  • One batch feeds a crowd, and everyone comes back for more—the kind of dish that earns you a reputation as someone who knows their way around a kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the meatball mixture—I learned this the hard way when a batch came out rubbery and dense, and I realized my eager hands had activated the gluten in the breadcrumbs and made the meat tough.
  • The sugar in the sauce is optional but genuinely transformative if your tomatoes are acidic, which many canned ones are, and it doesn't make the dish taste sweet, it just balances what's already there.
03 -
  • Wet your hands before shaping meatballs—it keeps them from sticking to your palms and makes the whole process smoother and faster.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the meatballs around the 3.5-hour mark so they don't overcook and dry out.
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