With this easy Crockpot Italian Meatballs recipe, you’ll be serving up groovy sauce sponges that are seasoned to perfection, drenched in marinara, and topped with piles of mozzarella. All in the most effortless way possible! You’ll just toss everything in your crockpot… and walk away!
Go ahead and get your taste buds ready, because your spaghetti is about to do a tasty tango with the most delightful dance partners: these outrageous crockpot Italian meatballs!
Kimberly writes: "Made these and put on hoagie rolls with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. Whole family, including picky kids, loved it!"
But don’t stop with just pasta, when these mouthwatering meatballs can be served up almost any way you can imagine!
Want a meatball sub? Want a saucy little meatball appetizer? Craving Italian food like you can’t believe?
The sky is the limit with these saucy little fellas!
Every meatball is smothered in rich tomato sauce and covered with bubbly mozzarella, making every tender morsel totally worth the fork-fight at the dinner table.
They really are nothing less than totally divine, and I’m confident your whole family will love them. My family sure did!
They’re also crazy-easy to prepare. After just 5 minutes of hands-on-time, you’ll hand off kitchen duty to your slow cooker and let it do the rest. Just like you’ll do when you make my Cranberry Meatballs, Grape Jelly Meatballs, and BBQ Crockpot Meatballs.
Trust me, effortlessly preparing frozen meatballs in your slow cooker is the ultimate dinner-making hack…
Ingredients
You likely already have most these crockpot Italian meatballs in your kitchen already.
So before you head to the store, first check in your cupboards or pantry, freezer, and refrigerator…
- Frozen Cooked Meatballs – you can use either store-bought or my Simple Meatball Recipe.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – adds ooey gooey, creamy cheese goodness to your crock pot Italian meatballs.
- Tomato Pasta Sauce – I recommend a higher quality pasta sauce like Classico, or my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce.
- Garlic Powder – brings savory, rich flavors to your Italian meatballs.
- Onion Powder – adds a savory, sweet flavo.
- Dried Rosemary – upgrade your flavors when you use my trick for How to Preserve Fresh Rosemary.
- Dried Oregano – use store bought or make your own with my trick for How to Dry Oregano.
- Dried Basil – see my trick for How to Dry Basil.
Like with so many of my Easy Crockpot Recipes, you’ll also need a 5 – 6 quart Crock Pot to create your Italian meatballs slow cooker masterpiece!
How to Make Crockpot Italian Meatballs
Preparing these tasty-tender slow-cooker Italian meatballs is going to be so easy.
Here’s what you’ll do…
1. Mix your sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Then add the meatballs and sauce mixture to crockpot, and stir well.
3. Cook the meatballs covered in crockpot.
4. When almost done, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese for the final few minutes of cooking.
Easy peasy, and oh-so delicious!
Scroll down for the printable crockpot Italian meatballs recipe card with detailed, step-by-step instructions.
Variations – Instant Pot Italian Meatballs
No slow cooker? No problem! You can make instant pot Italian meatballs instead!
1. Prepare sauce per instructions in recipe card below.
2. Add 1 cup of your sauce to your 6 quart Instant Pot. (The same Instant Pot I use for all of my Easy Instant Pot Recipes)
3. Combine meatballs with remaining sauce in bowl and stir well.
4. Transfer saucy meatballs to instant pot, making sure to pull meatballs away from edges of Instant Pot to avoid burning.
5. Cook on ‘Manual’, ‘Low Pressure’ setting for 12 minutes.
6. Once done, naturally release pressure before removing lid. Then serve and ENJOY!
How To Serve Slow-Cooker Italian Meatballs
To start, try serving these crockpot meatballs Italian-style on hoagie buns as Italian meatballs subs, or over your favorite cooked pasta. Seriously, Pasta and Meatballs is a combination that has never disappointed anyone!
Then, add an extra dash of indulgence to your crockpot Italian meatballs when you serve them up alongside my cheesy-wonderful Cauliflower in Cheese Sauce Recipe, and some fresh bread with a side of Bread Dipping Sauce.
Or… if you’re planning a party, just serve these sauce-drenched beauties straight from your slow cooker using toothpicks as Easy Party Appetizers.
Storage Tips
Your crockpot Italian meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Simply reheat the next day for another easy dinner. Talk about some Easy Keto Meal Prep!
Reviews
Here’s what your frugal friends are saying about this easy crockpot Italian meatballs recipe…
One reader writes: “So easy and so delicious!”
Ryan writes: “One of my go to recipes for busy weeks.”
Cindy writes: “I love how easy these are.”
Silvia writes: “So many ways to make different meals with these meatballs”
Katie writes: “So good and easy”
Kimberly writes: “Made these and put on hoagie rolls with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. Whole family, including picky kids, loved it!”
Simple Easy Italian Dinners
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Chicken Marinara
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Creamy Tomato Chicken
Crockpot
Italian Pork Chops
Crockpot
Italian Dressing Chicken Recipe
Chicken
Instant Pot Italian Chicken
Italian
One Pot Fettuccine Alfredo
Did You Enjoy This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leave a comment & review below!
Crockpot Italian Meatballs
Doubling Recipe Tip
If doubling or tripling recipe with buttons below, ingredient notes found after comma will not adjust. Increase ingredients as needed.
Ingredients
- 26 oz. Frozen Cooked Meatballs , use store bought or my Simple Meatball Recipe
- 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 24 oz. Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce, 1 jar store bought, or my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp. dried Rosemary, store bought, or use my trick for How to Preserve Fresh Rosemary
- 1 tsp. dried Oregano, store bought, or use my trick for How to Dry Oregano
- 1 tsp. dried Basil, store bought, or use my trick for How to Dry Basil
Instructions
- Gather your slow-cooker Italian meatballs ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, mix Classico Pasta Sauce, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Basil, and Rosemary.
- Add Meatballs and Sauce mixture to Crock Pot, stir well, and cover.
- Cook on HIGH for 2 hours, or LOW for 4 hours.
- Sprinkle Mozzarella Cheese over top for final 15 – 20 minutes.
- Once done, serve on Hoagie buns or over cooked Pasta, and Enjoy!
Notes
- Prepare sauce per above crockpot instructions.
- Add 1 cup of your sauce to your 6 quart Instant Pot.
- Combine meatballs with remaining sauce in bowl and stir well.
- Transfer saucy meatballs to instant pot, making sure to pull meatballs away from edges of instant pot to avoid burning.
- Cook on ‘Manual’, ‘Low Pressure’ setting for 12 minutes.
- Once done, naturally release pressure before removing lid.
- Serve and ENJOY!
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Heidi, I made these for an Italian themed potluck and the ONLY variations I made (because I can’t eat beef), is that I used Italian turkey meatballs, and instead of just spreading the Mozzarella over the top in the final step I transferred the meatballs into a large bowl, added the cheese, gave it all a quick mix and returned the meatballs to the crockpot to melt the cheese before serving. I wanted to ensure that every meatball had some of the ooey, gooey melted cheese on them and not just the top layer. Oooohhhh sooooo goood! Thank you so much for sharing this easy, delicious recipe!
Those sound like delicious ideas Cindy. I am so glad you liked the recipe!
This is such a wonderful recipe. Meatballs are coated in a flavorful sauce, perfect for an appetizer or as you said a nice sub! ~Nessa
I am so glad you liked these meatballs Nessa… and yes, I also love the versatility!
I made this recipe last week for my family, and am making is again tomorrow with thawed frozen Italian meatballs. This recipe was delicious, and tasted homemade, unlike most pre-bought frozen meatballs!
I was going to make this tonight, but wanted to cook them on low from frozen, but it wouldn’t get done until after 9:30 pm and I’m out of freezer space! Should I still slow cook them on low for 4 hours thawed?
Hi Kristin ~ I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the Italian Meatballs! If cooking the pre-cooked meatballs from a thawed state, you can definitely shorten the cook time. Hope that helps!
Do you have to thaw the frozen meatballs before putting them in the crockpot?
Hi Jenna ~ no thawing is necessary… you can put them in frozen. 🙂
Your dish’s color looks so amazing! Cooking this dish on low won’t make any change in texture and flavor, will it? How long will it take to finish the dish when it’s cooked on low?
Thank you, Lita! The dishes are Fiestaware. 😉
You can definitely cook the meatballs on the LOW setting. Cook for 4 hours on LOW, then the additional 15 – 20 minutes to let the cheese melt. Enjoy!!