Recipe: The best Italian meatballs

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This is an awesome recipe for weeknight family meals. I started making the meatballs around 1 p.m. and the family was eating them at 5 p.m. They are easy to put together and so delicious! They can be used with pasta or for meatball sandwiches. When I make meatball subs I like to use uncut rolls so that I can cut a wedge of bread from the top of the roll. I sprinkle mozzarella cheese in the hollowed sub and toast it before adding meatballs, sauce, more cheese and toasting again.

The Best Italian Meatballs and Sauce

Dana Scammon
Slow cooker Italian-seasoned meatballs for pasta or sandwiches.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • Meatballs:
  • * 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
  • * 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • * 1/4 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
  • * 2-3 Tb. Grated Parmesan-romano cheese
  • * 1 Tb. dried parsley
  • * 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • * 1 1/2 tsp. dried onion flakes
  • * 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • * salt and pepper to taste
  • * 2 eggs
  • Sauce:
  • * 2 28oz. cans crushed tomatoes
  • * 6oz. tomato paste
  • * 1 Tb. jared minced garlic to taste
  • * 2 Tb. dried onion flakes
  • * 1/2 tsp. sugar it helps balance!
  • * 1 Tb. Italian seasoning
  • * 1 tsp. dried basil
  • * 1 tsp. dried parsley
  • * pinch of cayenne optional
  • * salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 450โ€™. Line a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil.
  • Make the meatballs: Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and combine with hands.
  • Form the meat mixture into golf-size balls ( I use a 1/8 cup). You can form in any size you want.
  • Place meatballs on the baking sheet, leaving space in between.
  • Bake for 25- 30 minutes, until lightly browned. If still pink, bake a little longer, they will finish in the sauce.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover with sauce, cover with lid and cook on high for about 3 hours. Turn to low to keep warm and serve!
  • Sauce:
  • While the meatballs are in the oven, place all of the sauce ingredients in slow cooker on high, stir well and cover.
  • Serve as is, over pasta or as a sub sandwich!

Notes

Taste tested in Dana's kitchen and approved! Visit www.livingwithdana.com/recipes for more wonderful recipes and meal planning tips.
Keyword meatballs, sandwiches, spaghetti sauce

I hope you try and like this recipe. It’s a crowd pleaser, too! Great for a buffet table.

This is the crock pot that I used for this meatball recipe. I have a digital crock pot, too! Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker, Black $32.98 online price #walmartcreator #affiliate ad https://walmrt.us/44TkVuR

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