If there’s one thing I know my child will always eat, it’s pizza. If there’s one thing I know that doesn’t work for me, it’s super carb-y meals. Still, we try to compromise and choose restaurants he’ll like sometimes, which means I need to get creative about ordering sometimes.
Enter meatballs.
One family dinner night at an Italian restaurant, in an attempt to focus on protein and fiber, I ordered a salad and the meatball appetizer. And oh my goodness, it was delicious. It quickly became one of my favorite meals, and one I wanted to make at home. I had never had luck with making meatballs until I stumbled upon the secret: browning them, them leaving them to cook in tomato sauce in the slow cooker for several hours.
I have no idea if this is scientifically accurate, but my guess is that the acidity from the tomatoes helps keep the meat tender, and moisture.
Anyway, I’ve been experimenting with different meatball recipes, so of course one of my first attempts was with these Slow Cooker Meatballs from my go-to cookbook, Two Peas and Their Pod.
Make or Skip? The Verdict on Slow Cooker Meatballs
These were a solid win. Not only are they easy and tasty, they are so versatile. We typically east them paired with a homemade Caesar salad, and occasionally add some garlic bread. We’ve used them in toasty meatball subs, but they would also be great over the pasta of your choice. I could also see doubling the sauce, and just mixing some roasted veggies in to eat, almost like a stew. (Note to self: make this soon and report back).
No matter how you serve them, these slow cooker meatballs are a table-pleaser for the whole family.
Tips and Tricks
I have made these with beef and pork sausage as the recipes calls for, but I’ve also subbed 80% lean turkey for the beef. I actually prefer it with the turkey and, much to my surprise, found them to be moister.
Want the recipe for these meatballs? Get your copy of Two Peas and Their Pod from Maria Lichty.
