Meatballs are always a big hit in my house and I am constantly trying to come up with new ways to make them. My absolute favorite recipe is my Healthy Turkey Meatballs, but my husband and boys prefer beef and aren't crazy about my adding oats instead of bread crumbs in that recipe.

Likewise, I never really like using bread crumbs when I am making beef meatballs because I feel like the bread crumbs dry them out too much. I have a few friends who suggested that I try using milk-soaked bread as my “binder” (which is what the oats/bread crumbs do) and the result were these delicious and oh-so-moist meatballs!

These would be great served over some pasta for dinner, with some provolone cheese on a long roll as a sandwich (try them on game day – and if you have a bunch of people over and have a second slow cooker, serve them right alongside my Crockpot Chicken Tacos or even my Crockpot Cheese Steak Recipe!)

Making them is really easy!

You will need:

• 3 lb Ground Beef
• 8 slices White Bread
• 1/3 cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 medium Onion Finely Diced
• 1 tbsp minced Garlic
• 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan
• 2 tsp Oregano
• 4 tsp Basil
• 1 Egg
• 48 oz Spaghetti Sauce (homemade or jar)

First you are going to shred up 8 or 9 slices of white bread (you can also use wheat bread if you like – I even like using potato bread). Place the bread in a bowl and add about 1/3 cup of milk. Toss the milk with the bread and just let that sit there for a few minutes until most of the milk is absorbed.

Drain the excess milk (but don't squeeze any of the milk out of the bread). Give the egg a quick wisk and add it to the bread along with the onion, garlic, oregano basil and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine well.

This is where you are going to get a little messy. Crumble the beef in to the milk/bread mixture and use your hands to work everything together. Form in to 2″ meatballs.

Heat some olive oil in a skillet on high and, in small batches (about 5 at a time) brown the meatballs on all sides.

Transfer the browned meatballs to your slow cooker, add the sauce and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 8 hours!

Enjoy!

Scroll down for the complete directions!

Crockpot Italian Meatballs | Perfect For Dinner or Game Day!

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

4 hours

Total time

4 hours 20 mins

 

These Crockpot Italian Meatballs take just a little bit of prep work to get them ready to throw in your slow cooker. Serve them over pasta, on a long roll as a sandwich or just all by themselves!

Author: Mindi

Ingredients

• 3 lb Ground Beef (you can also substitute turkey)
• 8 slices White Bread
• ⅓ cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 medium Onion Finely Diced
• 1 tbsp minced Garlic
• ⅓ cup Grated Parmesan
• 2 tsp Oregano
• 4 tsp Basil
• 1 Egg
• 48 oz Spaghetti Sauce (use your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce )

Instructions

1. Tear bread into small pieces and place in a large bowl.
2. Add milk and toss to absorb milk, let soak for 5 minutes.
3. Drain any excess milk.
4. Whisk egg and add to bread.
5. Add onion, garlic, oregano, basil and parmesan and mix well.
6. Crumble ground beef into mixture.
7. Mix with your hands to endure everything is well blended and form into 2″ meatballs.
8. Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown meatballs on all sides 5 at a time.
9. Transfer browned meatballs to slow cooker.
10. Add sauce and cook on High for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

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