Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs Recipe

Meet your new best friends, the slow cooker, and meatballs. Save some time, and enjoy the convenience and great taste of this tender, easy, slow cooker Italian meatballs recipe! Read on for directions and ingredients.

Ingredients:
To cut the fat in this recipe, use 90% ground beef or higher, and use 1 egg with 2 egg whites.
* 2 pounds ground beef, 85% or higher
* 1 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
* 3/4 cup grated cheese
* 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
* 3 eggs
* 2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
* 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 small can tomato paste
* 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

Directions:

1. Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, grated cheese, and basil into a large mixing bowl. Thoroughly combine with a wooden spoon.

2. Roll the combined meat mixture into 1.5"-2" balls. Roll thoroughly to smooth the meatball into a perfect sphere, so it won't crumble during cooking.

3. Pour the minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes into the crockpot slow cooker. Heat the crockpot on medium heat. Add the meatballs to the sauce, covering entirely with the sauce. Cover and cook 8 hours, or until the middle of the meatball reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

4. Add a tablespoon of the tomato paste to the sauce if it needs to be thickened. (Grease from the meatballs will enter the sauce). Also add grated cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

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