Crockpot Italian Meatballs in Marinara

Name: Crockpot Italian Meatballs in Marinara
Prep time: 31 min
Cook time: 4 h 6 min
Total time: 4 h 37 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ¾ cup (85 g) plain dry bread crumbs; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; 1 lb (454 g) ground beef, 80/20, cold; 1 lb (454 g) ground pork, cold; 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, lightly beaten; ¾ cup (75 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1½ tsp (6 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; 48 oz (1360 g) marinara sauce, two 24-oz (680 g) jars; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional); ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender beef-and-pork meatballs, seasoned with Parmesan, garlic and parsley, are browned briefly under the broiler, then simmered in marinara in the slow cooker until juicy and infused with sauce. Serve over pasta, in rolls, or on their own.

Prep: 31 min
Cook: 4 hr 6 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 4 hr 52 min
Makes: About 30 meatballs (6 servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the meatballs
¾ cup (85 g) plain dry bread crumbs
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
1 lb (454 g) ground beef, 80/20, cold
1 lb (454 g) ground pork, cold
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup (75 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1½ tsp (6 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
For the sauce
48 oz (1360 g) marinara sauce, two 24-oz (680 g) jars
¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)

Equipment (7)

6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker
Large mixing bowl
Rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm)
Aluminum foil or parchment paper
Cookie scoop or tablespoon measure (optional)
Instant-read thermometer
Box grater or microplane

Steps

Before you start

Use a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker; a smaller one will crowd the meatballs and they may cook unevenly.
Don't use lean beef: 80/20 ground beef plus ground pork keeps the meatballs tender.
Grate the Parmesan from a block if you can; it melts into the mixture better than pre-grated.
Plan on about 30 minutes of prep, a few minutes under the broiler, then 4 hours on LOW or 2½ hours on HIGH. Do not cook longer than 5 hours on LOW or they turn dry.
All ground beef and pork must reach 160°F (71°C) in the center; have an instant-read thermometer ready.

1
Soak the bread crumbs
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the bread crumbs and milk together.
- Let stand 5 minutes so the crumbs absorb the milk and form a thick, wet paste.
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Ready when: Mixture looks like a thick, moist paste with no dry crumbs
2
Mix the meatballs
- Add the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and oregano to the bowl.
- Use your hands to mix gently, just until everything is evenly combined and no streaks of egg remain, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly combined and slightly sticky
Tip: Overmixing makes meatballs dense and rubbery, so stop as soon as it comes together. Wash hands well after handling raw meat and eggs.
3
Shape the meatballs
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- With damp hands or a cookie scoop, form the mixture into about 30 balls, each roughly 1½ inches (4 cm) wide, about 3 tablespoons (45 g) of mixture each.
- Place them on the sheet, not touching.
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Ready when: Balls are uniform in size and smooth
Tip: Wet your hands between batches so the mixture doesn't stick.
4
Broil to brownOven 500°F / 260°C
- Position an oven rack 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler and heat the broiler to high (about 500°F / 260°C).
- Broil the meatballs for 6–8 minutes, until the tops are browned and sizzling.
- They will still be raw in the center; they finish in the slow cooker.
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Ready when: Tops are deep golden brown and the fat is sizzling
Tip: Stay nearby; broilers vary and the tops can burn quickly.
5
Add sauce to the cooker
- Pour about 1 cup (240 ml) of the marinara into the bottom of the 6-quart slow cooker and spread it out.
- This prevents sticking and scorching.
6
Layer meatballs and sauce
- Gently transfer the browned meatballs into the cooker in one snug layer, then a second layer if needed.
- Pour the remaining marinara over the top, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if using.
- Nudge the meatballs so most are covered by sauce, but don't stir.
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Ready when: Meatballs are mostly submerged in sauce
Tip: Don't stir now; the meatballs are fragile until they've cooked through.
7
Slow cook
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or HIGH for 2½ hours), until the meatballs are firm and the sauce is bubbling gently around the edges.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of a few meatballs from different spots in the cooker; the beef-and-pork mixture must read at least 160°F (71°C) with no pink inside.
- If any are lower, cover and cook 15 minutes more and test again.
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Ready when: Center of a meatball reads at least 160°F (71°C) with no pink inside
Tip: Resist lifting the lid; each peek adds up to 20 minutes of cook time.
8
Rest and serve
- Turn the cooker to WARM or off and let the meatballs sit uncovered for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.
- Gently stir once to coat, then scatter with torn basil.
- Serve over pasta, in toasted rolls, or with crusty bread.
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Ready when: Sauce coats the back of a spoon
Tip: Stir gently with a wide spoon to keep the meatballs intact.

Good to know

Tips

Broiling first gives better flavor and helps the meatballs hold their shape in the sauce.
For a thicker sauce, cook the last 30 minutes with the lid slightly ajar.
Use a scoop for even meatballs so they all cook at the same rate.
Choose a good-quality marinara; the sauce is a major part of the final flavor.

Make ahead

Shape the meatballs up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate on the baking sheet; broil just before cooking. Or broil them, cool, and refrigerate overnight, then add to the cooker with the sauce and add about 30 minutes to the cook time. Always confirm 160°F (71°C) in the center before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours (keep on WARM up to 2 hours when serving). Fridge: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in sauce; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).

Substitutions

ground pork → ground veal or more ground beef. All-beef meatballs will be slightly firmer; use 80/20 beef for moisture. Still cook to 160°F (71°C).
plain dry bread crumbs → Gluten-free bread crumbs or quick oats. Use the same weight; oats give a slightly heartier texture.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. Saltier and sharper; reduce the salt to 1 tsp.
whole milk → Water or buttermilk. Buttermilk adds a little tang; water works fine in a pinch.