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Italian-Style Slow Cooker Meatballs

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 20

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage loose
  • 3/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup asiago cheese finely grated
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dry oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dry marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 30 ounces marinara sauce store-bought or homemade
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper more or less to taste
  • fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the beef, sausage, bread crumbs, asiago cheese, eggs, basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Mix the ingredients together with a large spoon or your hands until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Shape the meat into 1 tablespoon-sized balls and set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how large your pan is. Remove the meatballs from heat.
  • Transfer the meatballs to a slow cooker and lay them out evenly along the bottom. You may layer them on top of one another if your slow cooker is small. Pour the marinara sauce over top and sprinkle on the crushed red pepper. Cover. Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6--8 hours on low.
  • Remove the meatballs from heat and serve on buttered rolls or as appetizers. Enjoy!