Melt in your mouth tender meatballs in a deliciously rich tomato sauce. These Slow Cooker Meatballs are an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love. Cooked low and slow, serve them with spaghetti or on mashed potato and make sure you have leftovers to make meatball subs.
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I have been making meatballs in the slow cooker since my eldest was born and they are total comfort food. Tender, juicy, bursting with flavour and easily adaptable. We stuck with classic Italian flavours, but there is no reason why you can't mix things up a bit and add some Mexican seasoning or even Moroccan and serve them with couscous.
This is a rich and hearty meal, but still perfect for summer when you want a filling pasta dish, but you don't want to have the oven on our be standing over the hob.
These slow cooker meatballs freeze and defrost really well, so they are perfect for batch cooking and keeping in the freezer for those busy nights.
If you are looking for more meatball recipes, then why not try our easy Air Fryer Meatballs, impressive Albondigas (Spanish Meatballs), tasty Sweet and Sour Meatballs, comforting Meatball Pasta Bake or our delicious Sticky Chicken Meatballs?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Beef mince - We used a lean beef mince (ground beef) to keep it lighter. If you wanted to use one with a higher fat percentage, then it would add more flavour but it would change the nutritional information that we have provided. We prefer homemade meatballs, but you could use ready made if you prefer.Turkey meatballs work too.
- Onion - This is mixed into the meatballs for flavour and texture. Make sure to really finely dice them so the meatballs are easy to form. You could swap the onion for shallots, which would give a sweeter flavour.
- Garlic - This is a must in meatballs in our opinion. Freshly crushed is always best, and try to finely crush it, almost into a paste, because it will ensure even distribution of the garlic in the meatballs. You could use frozen garlic or crushed garlic in a tube if you prefer, but it doesn't have the same flavour.
- Breadcrumbs - The breadcrumbs stop the meatballs from becoming dry, by absorbing the juices from the meat and keeping them in the meatball. You can use white, wholewheat or even panko breadcrumbs, which give a crispier edge.
- Oregano and thyme - This adds lots of delicious Italian flavour to the meatballs. You can use fresh or dried.
- Egg - As well as the breadcrumbs, the egg helps to bind the meatballs. We used a medium sized egg.
- Carrot - This adds a little extra texture to the sauce, as well as some extra nutrients. You could grate it in if you wanted it to be more hidden.
- Passata - This is what makes up the pasta sauce. You could use a can of chopped tomatoes instead if you wanted, or even a good quality store bought pasta sauce to save some time. Try to use the best quality passata or tinned tomatoes that you can, as you really will be able to taste the difference, and there will be a difference in thickness too.
- Tomato puree - This gives a tomato flavour boost to the sauce and also helps to thicken it too. You could use a sun-dried tomato paste for a more intense flavour.
- Balsamic vinegar - An easy way to add some flavour to the sauce.
Slow Cooker Meatballs Variations
We mixed together a simple marinara for these slow cooked meatballs, but there are so many different ways you can jazz it up a little. Chop up some olives and add them to the sauce, or some chopped sun-dried tomatoes or a paste version will add a lot of extra tomato flavour and thicken it a little too.
If you wanted to hide some vegetables into it, then why not grate some carrot and courgette into the sauce and then stir in some finely chopped spinach 30 minutes before it is finished. You could add chunks of vegetables, and then remove the meatballs when cooked and blend the sauce and then mix everything together again.
We added a splash of balsamic vinegar for some extra sweetness, but you could add a pinch of sugar instead. We have also made it with some Worcestershire sauce too, which added a lot of extra flavour.
If you don't want to go down the marinara route, then you could cook these meatballs in our Homemade Healthy BBQ Sauce or even a sweet and sour sauce and serve with rice.
How To Make Slow Cooker Meatballs
- Step 1: Put the beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, oregano, egg and salt and pepper into a large bowl and mix well. If the mixture sees a bit wet, then add some more breadcrumbs.
- Step 2: Form into 12 meatballs and set aside.
- Step 3: Heat some oil in a large pan and add the meatballs. Cook on low for 2 minutes each side. Take the meatballs out and then add the onion and carrot and gently cook for 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Add the onion, carrot and meatballs to the slow cooker (crock pot) bowl.
- Step 5: Add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce on top of the meatballs and gently stir so everything is coated. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours and serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.
Pro Tip
Wet your hands when rolling meatballs, as this will prevent the meat from sticking to your hands. You can also portion them out with an ice cream scoop.
Serving Suggestions
Meatballs and spaghetti is such a classic combo, but you can top any kind of pasta with these meatballs - no need to buy anything special. If you are going down the low carb route, then sautéed courgette (zucchini) noodles go well with these. We also like these on top of mashed potato for a hearty meal.
Don't forget to serve a few slices of our Cheesy Garlic Bread on the side too. Perfect for dipping into all that delicious sauce.
We always make sure we have some leftover slow cooker meatballs to make meatball subs the next day. Slice up the meatballs, add to a sub roll with a spoonful of sauce and then some slices of cheese and put it under the grill. Sandwich perfection. Check out our Meatball Sub Recipe.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Stick with classic Italian seasoning, or go with Mexican or Moroccan for something a bit different.
- Serve these crockpot meatballs with pasta or mashed potatoes. Don't forget to save some leftovers to turn into meatball subs the next day.
- Want to try a different sauce? Cook these meatballs in a homemade BBQ sauce or a sweet and sour sauce and serve with rice.
- Save some extra time with this recipe and either make the meatballs in advance, or use store bought meatballs.
- Don't over mix your meatballs. Mix it until it is just combined, otherwise they will become quite dense. You want light and fluffy meatballs.
- Make sure that the meatballs are even sizes, so they will all cook at the same rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prepare the meatballs in advance and they will keep in the fridge for a day or two until you are ready to put them in your slow cooker - this makes it easier for a fuss free week night meal.
If you have any leftovers, then they can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for 2 days.
These do freeze really well too - just wait until they are cooled down and freeze in portions. They will keep in the freezer for about 3-4 months.
You don't have to, but we really recommend it as it adds such a depth of flavour. Basically, you want to trigger the Maillard reaction. It is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavour. You don't have to though, and you can just throw everything into the slow cooker and leave it if you are really short on time.
More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
If you've tried these Crockpot Meatballs, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 500 g (17.5 oz) of Lean beef mince
- 1 Onion - small; peeled and finely diced
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 25 g (0.25 cups) of Breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon of Dried oregano
- 1 Egg - medium size; whisked
- 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of Olive oil
Sauce:
- 1 Carrot - peeled and diced
- 1 Onion - peeled and diced
- 500 ml (2 cups) of Passata
- 3 Garlic clove
- 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon of Tomato puree
- 2 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of Dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon of Dried thyme
Instructions
- Put 500 g of Lean beef mince, 25 g of Breadcrumbs, 1 Onion, 2 Garlic clove, 1 tbsp of Dried oregano, 1 Egg and 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper into a bowl. Mix well. If the mixture sees a bit wet, then add some more breadcrumbs.
- Form into 12 meatballs and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp of Olive oil in a large pan and add the meatballs. Cook on low for 2 minutes each side. Take the meatballs out and then add 1 Onion and 1 Carrot and gently cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked onion, carrot and meatballs to the slow cooker bowl.
- Add 500 ml of Passata, 3 Garlic clove, 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper, 2 tbsp of Tomato puree, 2 tbsp of Balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp of Dried oregano and 1 tbsp of Dried thyme on top of the meatballs and gently stir so everything is coated.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours and serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.
Recipe Tips
- Stick with classic Italian seasoning, or go with Mexican or Moroccan for something a bit different.
- Serve these meatballs with pasta or mashed potatoes. Don't forget to save some leftovers to turn in to meatball subs the next day.
- Want to try a different sauce? Cook these meatballs in a homemade BBQ sauce or a sweet and sour sauce and serve with rice.
- Save some extra time with this recipe and either make the meatballs in advance, or use store bought meatballs.
- Don't over mix your meatballs. Mix it until it is just combined, otherwise they will become quite dense. You want light and fluffy meatballs.
- Make sure that the meatballs are even sizes, so they will all cook at the same rate.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Toni says
It is so easy to make!! Everyone loved it for dinner at my house!
Jennifer says
I love making homemade meatballs but never thought to put them in the crockpot. I am definitely going to have to give this a try the next time I make pasta. Thanks so much!
Demeter says
So easy using a slow cooker! Perfect for a busy weeknight.
Mel says
I love a new slow cooker recipe! These meatballs look perfect as a mid-week dinner with a plate of pasta! Thanks for sharing lovely!