Description
Delicious and easy slow cooker beef meatballs simmered in a rich marinara sauce. These tender, juicy meatballs require no pre-cooking and are perfect for a comforting Italian-style dinner. Serve with fresh basil and parmesan cheese for an irresistible meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 small yellow onion (ends removed and peeled)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds 90% lean ground beef
Sauce and Garnish
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (for serving)
- Chopped basil (for serving)
Instructions
- Grate the onion: Place a box grater into a large bowl and use the largest holes to grate the peeled onion directly into the bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients and seasonings: Add the egg to the bowl with grated onion and whisk until combined. Add the minced garlic, Italian breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper and mix well to evenly incorporate.
- Add ground beef and form meatballs: Gently add the ground beef to the mixture and carefully mix until the breadcrumb-cheese mixture is blended throughout the meat, being careful not to overwork it. Form the mixture into 24 meatballs, each about 1 ½ ounces.
- Prepare 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, ensuring they do not overlap.
- Add remaining sauce: Pour the remaining 1 ½ cups of marinara sauce gently over the meatballs, taking care not to stir or mix to prevent the meatballs from falling apart.
- Cook the meatballs: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
- Serve: Garnish the meatballs with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Serve warm with your choice of sides such as spaghetti or crusty bread.
Notes
- These meatballs require no pre-cooking or browning, making preparation quick and easy.
- Simmering slowly in marinara sauce makes the meatballs tender and flavorful.
- Serve over spaghetti or your favorite pasta for a classic meatball dinner.
- Adjust seasoning to taste depending on your salt preference.
- Using 90% lean beef keeps the meatballs juicy but less fatty.
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
