Name something hearty, easy to make, crowd-pleasing, and so versatile you can eat them on their own, over pasta, or in a sandwich. Crockpot meatballs! These crockpot Italian meatballs are made with a blend of ground beef and Italian sausage to give it a real Italian flair.

There are certain recipes that you need to know in life, and knowing how to make crockpot meatballs is one of them! This slow cooker meatballs recipe is perfect for parties and makes for easy appetizers or a nice dinner at home.

Slow-cooked to tender perfection in your crockpot with your favorite sauce, it’s a perfect meal to come home to. Crockpot meatballs are a perfect weeknight dinner served over your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles. 

They can also be served on rolls as a meatball sandwich or slider. Any leftovers freeze very well, or you can even cut them up and use them as a homemade pizza topping later in the week! 

One recipe should make about 18 meatballs, depending on their size. That gives you plenty of meals and leftover options. 

How to Make Crockpot Meatballs

One cooking tip: The broiling step here is optional if you plan to cook your meatballs on the low setting. If you are using the high setting that is recommended, don’t skip the broiling. It will help give texture to the meatballs and hold them together. 

The one thing you are looking for is a solid ball of meat. The cooking process can easily break the ball apart, turning it into a meat chunk instead of a ball. One of the easiest ways to do this is to cook the meat a beat so that it forms a barrier around the outside.

That barrier will hold everything in place. The next tip is to wait on the sauce. People often think that the longer the meat sits in the sauce, the better it will taste. There is some truth to that, but you don’t want soggy meatballs.

This is another reason broiling is so important. But also, save the sauce until the last cooking step.

Crockpot Meatballs Ingredients

You can easily find frozen meatballs and cook them in the crockpot. But meatballs aren’t very difficult to make. Especially since you essentially take all of the ingredients, mix them together, and then just roll them into balls.

The question is, what are the ingredients for Italian meatballs? Ground beef is the base, Italian sausage adds flavor, and breadcrumbs keep everything together. The rest of the ingredients continue that trend.

They either add flavor or help keep things together.

Directions

In a mixing bowl, pour in the breadcrumbs and milk. Stir until all the breadcrumbs have absorbed the milk.

Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, parsley, garlic, onion, egg, grated cheese, salt, pepper, and oregano to the bowl and mix until well combined. 

Preheat your oven’s broiler. 

Shape the meatballs using an ice cream scoop or big spoon, into about 1 inch balls. Place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Broil the meatballs for about 8 minutes. 

Place the meatballs in your Crockpot. Add the marinara sauce on top.

Cover the Crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours (recommended) or on low 6-8 hours. 

More Crockpot Recipes

Budget Friendly Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese | Macaroni and cheese can be pretty simple to make from a box. But you get a far better experience when you make it from scratch.

Crockpot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls | Cabbage rolls may not sound as amazing as they taste but it is worth trying for a unique dinner.

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas with Frozen Corn | Fajitas don’t need to be sizzling in a skillet to taste great. You can make some great fajitas in a crockpot.

How to Make Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken | Hawaiian chicken is easier to make than you may think, especially when you use a crockpot. You can even have the time to decorate the dinning room a bit.

Crockpot Pork Chops with Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe | There is nothing better than some pork chops smothered in a delicious sauce that you made with some soups that everyone will enjoy during your next family dinner.