Warm, tender meatballs simmered slowly in a savory sauce evoke the essence of comfort food. Perfect for busy days.

Updated: February 5, 2025

A delicious blend of convenience and homemade goodness is found in this amazing recipe for Crock Pot Meatballs and Savory Sauce. The aroma fills your kitchen as you prepare this hearty and satisfying meal that brings everyone together.

I use this recipe with various pastas. It makes the most AMAZING meatball sandwich you’ve ever had! This is one of my very favorite crock pot recipes and I know you’ll love it as much as I do!

Ingredients for Meatballs

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound mild Italian meatballs
• 1 cup bread crumbs, plain or Italian seasoned
• 1 cup grated Kraft Parmesan cheese…the kind in the green shaker bottle
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, or 2 tablespoons of dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
• 2 large eggs (Yes I know the eggs are missing from my photo below! Life!)

Ingredients for Sauce

• 2 (16 ounce) cans diced petite canned tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
• 1 (8 ounce) can of tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 3 Tablespoons sugar – this helps cut down the acidity of the tomatoes
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup dried onion flakes
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

How to Make Crock Pot Meatballs

In a large bowl, mix together 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of mild Italian sausage (If you can only find it in links…just get the links and cut them open…not a big deal)… along with your bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, and Parmesan cheese.

Mix that together really well. I say “mush” it all together! (That’s right… Mush! I love mushing…just dig your hands in and mush away! Don’t be a pansy…roll up those sleeves and MUSH!!! Lol)

Making Meatballs

Take a heaping tablespoon of the meatball mixture and roll it into a ball. I like to use a cookie scoop, but a tablespoon works just as well.

Place the meatballs on the bottom of your crock pot. (Think golf ball size…maybe just a tad bigger)

Continue rolling the meat into balls and placing them in the crock pot until you have used all the mixture. You should have around 25–30 meatballs…give or take.

Making the Meatball Sauce

Pour the remaining ingredients into a large bowl.

Using a whisk or large spoon, stir the sauce ingredients until well combined.

Pour sauce over the top of the meatballs in the slow cooker. DO NOT STIR the mixture. The meatballs need to cook before being stirred!

Slow Cooking Meatballs and Sauce

Place the lid on top, set it on low and… walk away….yep…walk away, or you can dance…whatever gets ya moving on to the next thing on your list.

TIP: If you have the newer crock pots with the digital settings…and you’ve already discovered that “low” is burning everything to a crisp…set it to “warm” to cook! I am not a huge fan of the new digital crock pots.)  I find that within 8 hours the meatballs are fully cooked on low.

In 4–5 hours, as the house is starting to smell like Cousin Vinnie’s, you can gently…ever so gently, be careful not to break the meatballs apart… stir the mixture together.

Replace the lid and continue cooking another 4 hours.

Finishing Meatballs and Sauce

After 8–10 hours (I prefer 10 hours… just gives the sauce longer to do its thang!) and a couple more stirs your entire house and… the next door neighbor’s house now smells like Italy!  

As those meatballs cook… the juices from the meat and the flavors from the Parmesan cheese start to seep into that tomato sauce. (Cooking Magic…we love cooking magic!) Look how tender and juicy these meatballs are!

Oh… Mama Mia! That’s a meatball!

Amazing, right? So simple, so quick, so easy… you are probably skeptical about the taste! 

You wouldn’t think something this simple would be this wonderful… however… you end up with beautiful perfect meatballs, full of flavor, and a rich thick sauce that is just as good as any fine Italian restaurant you will ever go to! (Forget the Cannoli…bring me the Meatballs! Sorry God Father…had to steal your line!)

TIP: Depending on the size of your family, you may get 2 meals out of one recipe of meatballs.

I like to begin with meatballs over our favorite pasta! The Mister loves angle hair spaghetti!

The meatballs and sauce store really well in the fridge until you are ready to use them. I recommend making them one day, allowing them to cook the entire 8–10 hours, then using them again to make meatball sub sandwiches!

Once you try this recipe, you will have to toss all other meatball recipes aside!

You can freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Which is fantastic for a busy weeknight meal!

As you serve these crock pot meatballs, savor the moments shared around the table, where every bite brings a taste of Italy. Whether it’s a family dinner, a potluck with friends, or a cozy evening, these meatballs promise to delight with their rich flavors and melt-in-your-mouth texture. You can’t argue with the best! And this is the BEST!

Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes We Love

• Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
• Best Slow Cooker Ground Beef Chili
• Slow Cooker Cuban Pork
• Slow Cooker Copy Café Rio Chicken
• Slow Cooker Beefy Gravy Noodles
• Slow Cooker Rosemary Dijon Chicken from Fit Slow Cooker Queen

I’ve got the printable below for you. Thanks for stopping by my Nest and visiting with me today!

Happy Nesting!

Printable Recipe Card

Crock Pot Meatballs and Sauce

A true rich Italian dish made in your crock pot. Meatballs with a deep rich Marinara sauce. Simple, easy and full of flavor!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 hours hrs

Total Time 10 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 434 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Meatballs

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasonings
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup grated Kraft Parmesan Cheese
• 1 pound Italian Sausage

Sauce

• 2 16 oz. cans diced petite canned tomatoes
• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 3 Tablespoons white sugar
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup dried onion flakes
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl mix together all the meat ball ingredients. Mix till well blended.
• Take one heaping tablespoon of meat mixture and roll into a ball about the size of a golf ball. Place into the bottom of the crock pot. Continue the process until all the meat mixture has been made into meatballs.
• In the crock place all of the sauce ingredients. Cover, turn on low heat, and allow to cook for 4 hours.
• After four hours gently stir the sauce to some what blend together. Return cooking on low heat for another 6 hours, checking about every two hours and gently stirring. Total cooking time should be about 8 – 10 hours. If you have a digital crock pot and you’ve noticed it burns even when cooking on low heat, I recommend turning the heat level to "warm".
• After the 10 hours of cooking time you can serve the meatballs over the pasta of your choice or make into meatball sandwiches. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 3meatballsCalories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 29gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 1031mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10g

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Meet The Author

Photo Credit: Jenelle Lacy Photography

Hi! I'm Norine, the cook, baker, and recipe creator behind Norine's Nest. I love sharing and creating recipes that invite family, friends, and neighbors to gather around the dinner table. Sharing good food and creating memories with those we love brings me happiness. Thanks for stopping by my Nest!

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