An easy way to make meatballs in the slow cooker, using either ground beef, ground turkey or even my favorite, ground chicken!
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- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup onion finely chopped
- 1-1 1/4 pounds ground turkey or use ground beef or ground chicken
- 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs see notes; I usually use more
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese or more to taste
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce see notes; I often use a bottle of pasta sauce
- 1/4 cup dry red wine optional; see notes
- hoagie rolls or pasta
- additional seasonings to taste I use garlic & onion powder in addition to more Italian seasoning & red pepper flakes
Ingredients
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- Here's the instructions that came with the original recipe... please read my notes below for all the changes and extra seasoning that I use when I make my meatballs!
- In a large bowl, beat the egg with salt, seasoning, red pepper flakes and garlic.
- Add chopped onion, meat, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese; mix well.
- Shape into meatballs, 1- 1 1/2 in. Place in 5 qt or larger slow cooker
- In the same bowl, mix the tomato sauce and wine; pour over meatballs. Cover and cook on Low setting until meatballs are no longer pink in middle, about 5-6 hrs. (I usually cut into one to make sure they are done.)
- Carefully lift meatballs from the slow cooker and place 3-4 in each split roll; moisten with a little sauce from cooker.
- If making sandwiches, add any condiments you like: pepper strips,mozzarella slices, olives, etc. If serving over pasta, scoop out meatballs and sauce and serve over spaghetti noodles.
Stacy's Notes: The original recipe called for a mixture of ground turkey and ground beef, but I've only ever made it with just ground turkey or just ground chicken.  You can use 1 pound or a larger package, you just might want to increase your sauce depending on how many people you want to feed. Also, if you are making these to use in meatball subs, you won't need as much sauce. If you want to serve these over pasta, you should probably double the sauce 🙂
I always spray my slow cooker before I add the raw meatballs. Also, I like to make sure all of the meatballs are covered well with sauce before turning on my crockpot.
I usually add a lot of seasonings and grated cheese to the sauce mixture (but I've never made it with tomato sauce and wine, I've always just used a bottled pasta sauce). I often add some grated or shredded Parmesan as well as other seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, a dash of red pepper flakes, etc. Flavor it however you like! You can even add a dash of hot sauce if you want 🙂  I just sort of wing it with the sauce, since I always have a jar of bottled pasta sauce in my pantry. I just add most of the same seasonings that I used in the actual meatballs, again in the sauce mixture.
We've had these as meatball sandwiches in sub rolls, and also over pasta (spaghetti noodles). They are good either way!
Enjoy!