Description
This Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce recipe delivers tender, flavorful meatballs simmered in a rich homemade tomato sauce. Perfect for a comforting dinner, these meatballs are made with a blend of beef and Italian turkey sausage, seasoned with fresh herbs, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. The slow cooker method ensures a hands-off cooking process with deep, melded flavors, served ideally with spaghetti, in sandwiches, or as an appetizer.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the sauce
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 3/4 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the meatballs
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 medium onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 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 all of the crushed tomatoes, finely diced onion, bay leaf, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Give it a quick stir to combine everything evenly.
- Soak the breadcrumbs: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let them soak for a few minutes until the breadcrumbs absorb the milk and soften.
- Add the other meatball ingredients: To the soaked breadcrumbs, add minced garlic, finely diced onion, chopped fresh parsley, freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt, dried oregano, shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, and one large egg. Mix together with a fork until well combined. Then add the ground beef and ground Italian turkey sausage. Gently mix everything with your hands just enough to combine all ingredients without overworking the meat.
- Shape the meatballs: Keep your hands wet with water to prevent sticking, then pinch off about a tablespoon of meat mixture and roll it into a ball slightly smaller than a golf ball. Alternatively, use a small #40 cookie scoop. Place each formed meatball directly into the slow cooker with the tomato sauce. It's okay if some meatballs are not fully submerged, as they will sink as they cook.
- Cover and cook: Secure the slow cooker lid and cook on low for 5 hours, or cook for 5 hours on high if you prefer a faster cook. The meatballs will become tender and infused with the tomato sauce flavors.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs hot over spaghetti, inside a hoagie bun for a meatball sandwich, or as a party appetizer on their own. For a thicker sauce, transfer the contents to a skillet over medium-high heat and reduce until desired consistency. Stir in any fat that accumulates on top of the sauce for added richness.
Notes
- Keeping your hands wet while shaping meatballs helps prevent the mixture from sticking.
- You can use a cookie scoop to make the meatball shaping easier and uniform.
- If sauce is too thin after cooking, reduce it in a skillet over medium-high heat until thickened.
- Meatballs can be served with spaghetti or in sandwiches for versatile meals.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce freeze well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/5 of recipe (about 2 meatballs with sauce)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
