Description
These slow cooker meatballs in rich tomato sauce are a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for easy weeknight dinners or casual gatherings. Made with a blend of beef and Italian turkey sausage, seasoned with fresh herbs and Pecorino Romano cheese, then simmered low and slow to tender perfection in a savory tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Sauce
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 3/4 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Meatballs
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 medium onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground 90/10 beef
- 1 pound ground Italian turkey sausage
Instructions
- Make the sauce: Set your slow cooker to low, then add all of the crushed tomatoes, onion, bay leaf, sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Give it a quick stir to combine everything.
- Soak the breadcrumbs: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk, letting the breadcrumbs soak and soften.
- Add the other meatball ingredients: To the soaked breadcrumbs, add the minced garlic, diced onion, chopped parsley, black pepper, kosher salt, dried oregano, shredded Pecorino Romano cheese, and egg. Mix well with a fork, then add the ground beef and Italian turkey sausage. Use your hands to gently combine everything, taking care not to overwork the mixture.
- Shape the meatballs: Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking or use a small #40 cookie scoop. Pinch off about a tablespoon of meat, roll into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball, and place them directly into the tomato sauce in the slow cooker. Repeat until all meatballs are formed. It's normal if some meatballs are not fully submerged; they will cook into the sauce as they simmer.
- Cover and cook: Secure the slow cooker lid and cook the meatballs for 5 hours on high heat or 8 to 10 hours on low heat, allowing the flavors to meld and the meatballs to become tender.
- Serve: Serve these meatballs over spaghetti, in hoagie buns for sandwiches, or as appetizers on their own. For a thicker sauce, transfer it to a skillet over medium-high heat to reduce until desired consistency. Stir any fat floating on the top back into the sauce before serving.
Notes
- Keeping your hands wet while rolling the meatballs prevents sticking and makes shaping easier.
- A small cookie scoop helps create uniformly sized meatballs quickly and efficiently.
- If you prefer, substitute the Pecorino Romano cheese with Parmesan cheese.
- Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and verify other ingredients for gluten-free compliance if needed.
- For a spicier sauce, increase the crushed red pepper flakes slightly.
- Removing the bay leaf before serving is recommended as it is not meant to be eaten.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 meatballs
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
