Crockpot Meatballs
from kristineskitchenblog.comThese Crockpot Meatballs with homemade marinara sauce are a delicious, make ahead dinner! This easy recipe includes a freezer meal option that's perfect for busy days.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 282kcal
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
For the marinara sauce:
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
Instructions
- To make the meatballs, preheat oven to 450° F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
- Combine egg, 2 cloves garlic, Panko, Parmesan, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Stir with a fork until well combined.
- Add the ground beef and mix until just combined. Do not over mix the meat mixture.
- Use your hands to shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place on the greased baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 10-12 minutes, until they are cooked through (they should register at least 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer).
- Meanwhile, add all of the marinara sauce ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Transfer meatballs to the slow cooker and gently stir them into the sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve meatballs and sauce with pasta, spaghetti squash or veggie noodles.
Notes
To make these meatballs as a freezer meal:
- Make and bake the meatballs as directed above. Cool completely.
- Label a heavy-duty zip-top freezer bag with the recipe name, date, and slow cooking instructions.
- Combine all marinara sauce ingredients in the freezer bag. Add the cooled meatballs to the bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag.
- Freeze flat for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then cook in your slow cooker as directed above.
Nutrition
Serving: 3meatballs and sauce | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 496mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g
