My Epicurean Adventures

A food blog about cooking quick & easy, healthy(ish) meals that my family loves + fun lunchbox ideas for kids with nut allergies and more!

Slow Cooker Meatballs

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Spaghetti has always held a special place in my heart. Even though my family is 100% Korean, growing up, my mom made a mean spaghetti sauce and my dad made some delicious homemade pasta. We still have a good laugh when we think about my full-blooded Italian childhood friend who told my mom that her spaghetti was better than any she had ever had! Now I get to a chance to add a little tradition with these Slow Cooker Meatballs with my girls.

Slow Cooker Meatballs

Well, today, times can be crazy busy and there isn’t always time for homemade sauce or pasta. That’s why it’s nice to be able to turn to your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce.

My girls, especially Little Sis, just love pasta, too. But alas, their idea of delicious pasta is plain with butter and some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. lol. and grrrrooooan… lots of carbs with very little protein. That’s why every chance I get, I try to throw in some more UMPHF into their pasta meals. One of our favorite ways to do that is throwing meatballs in the mix. Everyone loves meatballs!! When time is short, frozen ones are thrown in some Ragu sauce, but when I have a little more time, I like to make my meatballs from scratch. Like these!

Slow Cooker Meatballs
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Slow Cooker Meatballs

Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword crock pot, pasta
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Sauce and Pasta:

  • 2 jars 24 oz each of Ragu Spaghetti Sauce
  • 1 lb pasta of choice
  • 4 large fresh basil leaves to garnish

Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more to serve
  • 2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the meatball and mix well. Using hands or large spoons, form meatballs, about 2 inches in diameter. Makes about 24 large meatballs.

  2. (rev: 2/23/16) Wanted to add that you can either brown the meatballs in a pan with some cooking oil at this point or just skip it and go to the next step. I'm super lazy and just put raw meatballs straight into the crock pot. The end result will be a very moist, more tender meatball. But to each his/her own!

  3. Pour 1 jar of sauce into slow cooker, place all the meatballs in sauce and then top with 2nd jar of sauce, making sure all the meatballs are covered.
  4. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook until meatballs are cooked throughout, 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW, or until meatballs are cooked throughout. Leave slow cooker on Warm until ready to eat.
  5. Cook pasta of choice per package directions and drain.
  6. Serve pasta topped with meatballs and sauce, along with Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.
  7. Serves 4-6.
Slow Cooker Meatballs
It’s fun to pass down tradition, especially when you have a Little Sis who just loves to help in the kitchen, making pasta and eating it, too! I guess sometimes you just have to make time for homemade pasta. What traditions are you handing down?

Slow Cooker Meatballs #simmeredintradition #ragu http://bit.ly/RaguSimmeredInTradition

Here’s another one I hope to hand down: wholesome and fun lunches for my girls. Or at least they can hopefully look back on their school lunches one day with fond memories. Spaghetti sauce can also double as pizza sauce in these make-your-own-pizza lunchables!

Pizza Lunchables #simmeredintradition #ragu http://bit.ly/RaguSimmeredInTradition

Lastly, got leftovers? Try them on a hot dog bun. They make the perfect sized meatball size for this mama’s lunch! Can’t decide which way I liked it better. Hmmmm….

Slow Cooker Meatballs
Slow Cooker Meatballs

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to make my day by leaving me a comment, following my blog via email, Facebook or Instagram. The more the merrier, of course!

Christine, aka happyvballgirl : )

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Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links. ; )

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