Crockpot Meatballs (5 Star Recipe!) - Chef Savvy (2024)

These Crockpot Meatballs will melt in your mouth! They are incredibly tender, loaded with Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and garlic. Simmered low and slow for 4 hours in a homemade tomato sauce. This will be your go to Sunday Dinner!

Love meatball recipes?! Then give my Asian Turkey Meatballs or my Old School Italian Meatball Recipe a try!

Crockpot Italian Meatballs

Who doesn’t love meatballs? Especially when they are cooked low and slow in a crockpot. These authentic beef meatballs are easy to make, versatile and can be made in advance and frozen for quick weeknight meals. The meatballs are melt in your mouth tender thanks to the combination of beef and pork. This truly is the best Italian meatball recipe!

Rich, meaty, hearty and comforting these Italian Meatballs are the perfect meal for busy weeknights or Sunday dinner. You will need a little bit of prep time to throw the meatballs together. The most time consuming part of this recipe is forming the meatballs.

The sauce is super simple as well. Simmering the sauce low and slow for 4 hours makes the sauce super thick, rich and loaded with flavor. I add some crushed red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and bay leaves for extra flavor.

This recipe makes enough to serve 6-8 people and always leaves tons of leftovers!

Crockpot Meatball Ingredients

• Meat: For the best tender and flavorful meatballs I like to do a combination of ground beef and ground pork! Look for a 80 / 20 ground beef for juicer / tender meatballs.
• Onion: Minced yellow onion is added for flavor. To make mincing easier you could also grate the onion with a cheese grater.
• Garlic: 2 minced garlic cloves are added. Add more if your a garlic lover!
• Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley really brightens up these meatballs. I also love the pop of green!
• Italian Breadcrumbs: I always opt for Italian breadcrumbs for the extra seasonings and salt that it adds to the meatballs. You can use panko if you have that on hand just make sure to sprinkle in some extra seasoning and salt.
• Eggs: Act as the binder for the meatballs and help to hold everything together.
• Parmesan Cheese: Add a bit of salt and a pop of flavor to the meatballs. You can use pre-grated or shred your own parmesan cheese.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Are the base of the sauce. If you only have whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes simply pulse it a couple times in the food processor before adding to the crockpot.
• Tomato Paste: Helps to thicken up the sauce.
• Seasonings: Crushed red pepper flakes, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper and bay leaves are added to the tomato sauce. Feel free to omit the crushed red pepper flakes if you don’t want the touch of spice.

how to make crockpot meatballs

• Add beef, pork, onion, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, eggs and cheese to a large bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until combined. Make sure not toover-mix. The more you mix the meatball mixture the tougher it will become.

• Form into 1 or 2 inch meatballs. I made 24 meatballs.

• Lightly grease a baking sheet. Broil meatballs on high until browned on each side. About 4-5 minutes on each side.

• Add meatballs to crockpot. Top with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning.

• Cook on low for 4 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with basil or parmesan cheese for serving, if desired.

Kelley’s tips

• Do not over mix: I combine the ingredients with my hands just until it’s combined. That’s it. The more you work the mixture the tougher the meatballs will be.
• Wet your hands to help with rolling: When you portion the meatballs they tend to get a little sticky. I recommend wetting your hands with water before you start rolling out your meatballs.
• Buy 80/20 beef: If you can find it 80/20 beef makes the best crockpot meatballs. They turn out super juicy and tender.
• Freeze leftovers: This recipe makes tons of meatballs. Freeze the extras in an airtight container for up to 3 months for a quick weeknight meal. You can freeze the meatballs either par cooked (just broiled) or fully cooked.
• Brown meatballs: It’s important to sear the meatballs before adding them to the slow cooker. This helps to keep the juices inside. I brown the meatballs under the broiler on a sheet tray to get a nice caramelization on the outside.
• Baked Meatballs: If you are short on time try my Easy 30 Minute Meatball Recipe. Perfect for a busy weeknight!
• Use a cookie scoop: To easily portion out perfectly round meatballs. It saves on time and keeps everything consistent.
• Reheat: To warm up leftovers simply add the meatballs back to the crockpot and warm up on low heat with the sauce. Or heat them up in a saucepan on the stove until warmed through.

What to serve with Crockpot Meatballs

• Pasta Carbonara
• Pasta with Garlic and Oil
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Broccoli
• Roasted Cauliflower
• Pesto Gnocchi
• Air Fryer Vegetables
• Garlic Bread
• Focaccia
• Side Salad
• Serve on a roll with provolone to make a meatball sub!
• Creamy Polenta

Here are more Easy Meatball Recipes to try!

• Thai Red Curry Chicken Meatballs
• Easy Teriyaki Beef Meatballs
• Turkey Meatballs with Arugula and Mushrooms
• Asian Style Chicken Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Asian Sesame Meatballs
• Italian Meatball Soup