Description
These Easy Slow Cooker Beef Meatballs are tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Made with lean ground beef, Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and simmered slowly in a rich marinara sauce, they require no pre-cooking or browning. Perfect for a comforting dinner, these meatballs can be served with spaghetti or your favorite pasta for a classic Italian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 small yellow onion (ends removed and peeled)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ⅓ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds 90% lean ground beef
For Cooking
- 3 cups marinara sauce
For Serving (Optional)
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped basil
Instructions
- Prepare the onion: Place a box grater into a large bowl and grate the peeled onion using the largest holes to create fine onion shreds that will blend smoothly into the meatball mixture.
- Combine wet ingredients and seasonings: Add the egg to the grated onion and whisk together until fully combined. Then add the minced garlic, Italian breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Mix in ground beef: Add the 90% lean ground beef to the bowl and gently mix until the breadcrumb and cheese mixture is well incorporated. Be careful not to over mix to keep the meatballs tender.
- Form the meatballs: Shape the mixture into 24 meatballs, each approximately 1 ½ ounces. Try to keep them uniform in size to ensure even cooking.
- Layer in slow cooker: Pour half of the marinara sauce (1 ½ cups) into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Slowly place the meatballs in a single layer on top of the sauce, taking care not to overcrowd. Pour the remaining 1 ½ cups marinara sauce over the meatballs gently, without stirring, to avoid breaking them apart.
- Cook slowly: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. The meatballs will simmer gently in the sauce, becoming tender and flavorful.
- Serve: Once cooked, serve the meatballs hot with fresh basil and additional freshly grated parmesan cheese on top if desired. They pair perfectly with spaghetti or your favorite pasta.
Notes
- No pre-cooking or browning needed; the meatballs cook directly in the slow cooker.
- Use 90% lean ground beef for a good balance of flavor and fat, ensuring juicy meatballs.
- Be gentle when mixing and forming meatballs to prevent them from becoming tough.
- Serve with cooked pasta or crusty bread to soak up the delicious marinara sauce.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 4 meatballs with sauce)
- Calories: 424 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 633 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 116 mg
