Favorite Italian Slow Cooker Meatballs

These made from scratch Italian slow cooker meatballs are juicy, packed with so much flavor, and loved by the entire family! This family favorite dish is easy to prep in the morning and perfect to serve over pasta, buckwheat, in meatball subs, or with your favorite side!

Homemade Italian meatballs are the best comfort food! You really can’t compare it to store bought or frozen. They are so much more fresh, aromatic, and juicy! If cooked in the slow cooker these become even tastier and easier for a busy day. I tested this meatball recipe countless times to get the perfect ratios and key ingredients. I am very excited to share this delicious family favorite and hope you love it as much as we do.

What I love about this recipe

• Made from scratch using wholesome ingredients
• Incredibly delicious, juicy, and flavorful every single time
• Family friendly and reliable recipe
• Easily doubles for a large crowd
• Reheats and freezes beautifully
• Slow cooking makes it so convinient

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Ingredients you will need

For the MEATBALLS:

• Ground meat – lean ground beef mixed with ground pork makes a wonderful combination for the perfect meatballs! Ground turkey can also be used. I typically use lean ground beef and regular ground pork (which tends to be a bit less lean).
• Sweet onion – if you mix in grated onion the juices of the onion tenderize the meat and give lots of juiciness to the meatballs. I use the side of the box grater with the smallest holes to make a very fine onion pulp.
• Parmesan cheese – finely shredded or grated cheese adds fat and flavor. Don’t skip this secret ingredient as it adds so much to the dish.
• Panko bread crumbs – this is my go-to since it’s always in my pantry and gives the meatballs better texture.
• Fresh parsley – chopping up some fresh herbs adds a mild bitter note which rounds out the flavors and complements the umami from the meat and sweet and sour from the sauce.
• Other necessary additions – egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, dry Italian seasoning.

For the SAUCE:

• Crushed tomatoes – use good quality Italian crushed tomatoes for the best sauce
• Tomato paste – helps to thicken up and flavor the sauce as it cooks low and slow.
• Sugar – just a little helps to mellow out any acidity in the tomatoes and adds a touch of sweetness. Feel free to omit if desired.
• Italian seasoning – since the sauce cooks all day, the dry herbs release all the flavor and give the sauce a delicious taste and aroma. You can also substitute with dried basil and oregano.
• For a deeper and bolder tomato sauce, add a splash of quality red wine. When adding wine to a recipe, it’s usually good to use whatever wine you will be drinking with your meal. For this recipe I like to use something with lower acidity like merlot or a Bordeaux-style blend. Using a more acidic wine such as pinot noir may cause the sauce to taste a bit sour as the tomatoes already bring a lot of acidity.

The broiling step is important

After shaping the meatballs you’ll want to broil them in the oven on a baking sheet. This is quick and easy and will ensure the meatballs have extra flavor. It also helps them hold their shape, especially if you’re using ground turkey. Don’t skip this step! I found that it’s such a genius, easy step that makes a big difference in the end result of the dish. I broil the meatballs briefly so there is no need to sear them before placing in the slow cooker.

While the meatballs are broiling, I whisk together the sauce ingredients in the slow cooker then simply place the meatballs in and cook everything for about 4-5 hours on LOW.

Helpful tips to make the best Italian slow cooker meatballs

• I prefer to use lean ground beef. You will still get the juiciest, most delicious meatballs since we will be adding fats like Parmesan and egg, as well as onion to tenderize. You certainly can use fattier beef, such as 85/15, but that makes the sauce fattier as well. You may want to skim the fat off the top of the sauce, in that case.
• Don’t skip broiling the meatballs. This adds so much flavor and helps meatballs hold their shape.
• When rolling the meatballs, it helps to use moistened hands to shape the balls so they don’t stick to your hands so much.

How do I serve these meatballs?

My favorite way to serve these is on a big plate of roasted buckwheat with a side salad and fresh crusty bread. It makes for the best healthy comfort meal. 😋 Whole wheat spaghetti or any kind of pasta is another classic way to serve this. You can also serve these as meatball subs, or with a side of roasted asparagus or Parmesan garlic potatoes.

If you make this recipe, I would LOVE to see it. Hashtag #anyascookbook and tag me @anyascookbook on Instagram.

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Other slow cooker recipes you might love

• Easy Slow Cooker Chili – hearty, delicious, and perfectly seasoned chili the whole family will love