Easy Crockpot meatballs, slow-cooked all day for a mouthwatering, home-cooked dinner ready when you are. Perfect with spaghetti, crusty bread, or piled high in a hero sandwich!
Crockpot Meatballs
We are a meatball loving family, these turkey meatballs are so tender and delicious, and easy to make any night of the week. If your family prefers ground beef, feel free to use that instead! The slow cooker does all the work for you, slowly simmering the meatballs for hours while you go about your day. There’s no need to brown the meatballs, I cook the raw meatballs directly in the sauce. This makes it a perfect option for busy days or when you want a stress-free dinner. A few more meatball recipes we love, these vegetarian Zucchini Meatballs, and this Giant Turkey Meatball are on rotation in my home!
Let Your Slow Cooker Do All The Work
Not all slow cooker recipes turn out great, in my opinion. But these homemade meatballs are delicious and such an easy way to prepare them on those busy nights.
- Easy – The Crockpot does all the work for you, the perfect stress-free dinner.
- Family Friendly – My husband and kids love it!
- Tender, Flavorful Meatballs: Slow cooking allows the meatballs to soak in all the rich flavors of the sauce, making them extra tender and flavorful by the time they’re ready to eat.
- Versatile: Serve them over spaghetti for a classic dinner, with crusty bread for dipping, or stuff them in a sandwich for a hearty hero. They can even be an appetizer for parties or game days.
- Prep Ahead: You can assemble everything the night before or early in the morning, so you come home to a hot meal ready to be served with minimal effort.
- Make-Ahead & Freeze: This dish is perfect for meal prep—you can freeze leftovers for quick dinners on busy nights.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the Ingredients to make these Slow Cooker Meatballs. See exact measurements in the recipe card below.
For the Meatballs:
- Ground turkey breast or ground beef – The base of the meatballs, ground chicken or bison will also work.
- Seasoned breadcrumbs – Helps bind the meatballs with a touch of flavor.
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – Adds rich, savory depth to the meatballs, grated Parmesan cheese can be used instead.
- Fresh parsley – Brings freshness to balance the richness.
- Egg – Helps bind the meat mixture for perfectly shaped meatballs.
- Garlic – Adds aromatic flavor to the meatball mixture.
- Kosher salt – For flavor
For the Sauce (Or you can use a jar of marinara sauce):
- Extra virgin olive oil – To saute the garlic.
- Fresh Garlic – Infuses the sauce with rich garlic flavor.
- Crushed tomatoes – The main base for the sauce. I don’t think all canned tomatoes are equal, if you can get your hands on Tuttoroso, it will make all the difference.
- Dry Bay leaf – Adds subtle earthiness and depth.
- Fresh basil or parsley – Adds freshness.
How To Make Crockpot Meatballs
Here’s the step-by-step directions to make these easy meatballs in the crockpot. See recipe card below for full recipe.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic and cheese.
- Using clean hands, mix all the ingredients and form small meatballs, about 1/8th cup each.
- In a small saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn.
- Pour crushed tomatoes into the crock pot with bay leaf. Add garlic and oil.
- Drop meatballs into the sauce, cover and set crock pot to low, 4 to 6 hours, until tender.
- When meatballs are ready, adjust salt and pepper to taste and add fresh chopped basil or parsley.
- Serve with ricotta, over pasta, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, rice or enjoy with French bread.
Helpful Tips
It’s best to carefully form the meatballs with gentle hands, if you pack them tight they will get tough while cooking. If you prefer to brown them, bake them in the oven first for 15 minutes at 350°F. Then add to the crock pot for 2 – 3 hours on low. If you want more sauce, add another can of crushed tomatoes.
The one step I wouldn’t skip is sauteeing the garlic in oil first, this is a must for best results. And of course, you all know I swear by Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes (green label), not all canned tomatoes are created equal.
Prep Ahead
Make the meatballs and garlic the night before and leave them in the refrigerator until the next morning. Then set it and forget it!
Can I Use Frozen Meatballs?
If you like to meal prep and freeze your meatballs, they can be used here instead. Increase the cook time to 8 hours on low. Ground meat and poultry is safe to eat once it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months in an airtight container.
More Meatball Recipes You May Like:
Slow Cooker Meatballs
Ingredients
- 20 oz 93% lean ground turkey breast , or ground beef, if you prefer (1.3 lb)
- 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, or gluten-free seasoned panko
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the sauce:
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, I love Tuttorosso (Green label)
- 1 dry bay leaf
- kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil, or parsley
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic and cheese.
- Using clean hands, mix all the ingredients and form small meatballs, about 1/8th cup each.
- In a small saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn.
- Pour crushed tomatoes into the crock pot with bay leaf. Add garlic and oil.
- Drop meatballs into the sauce, cover and set crock pot to low, 4 to 6 hours.
- When meatballs are ready, adjust salt and pepper to taste and add fresh chopped basil or parsley.
- Serve with ricotta, over pasta or enjoy with French bread.
Last Step:
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Notes
Nutrition
