Name: Easy Slow Cooker Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs And Sauce
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 195 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 7 cups crushed tomato; u2153 cup onion (chopped); 2 cloves garlic (crushed); 2 teaspoons dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon pepper; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 lb beef; 1 lb mild sausage; 1 cup breadcrumb; u2153 cup onion (chopped); ¼ cup parmesan cheese; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; 2 eggs; 4 sticks mozzarella cheese (cut into 4-5 even pieces each); ½ cup whole milk; ½ cup parsley

Main Course

Easy Slow Cooker Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs And Sauce

Tender beef and sausage meatballs with a molten mozzarella center, simmered in a homemade tomato sauce right in the slow cooker. Set it and forget it.

A meatball with cheese hidden inside is a small trick with a big payoff. You shape the meat around a piece of mozzarella, drop it in tomato sauce, and two hours later you cut in and the cheese runs out onto the plate.

The slow cooker does the work here. The sauce goes in first and heats up while you mix and roll the meat, so nothing sits around waiting. You need about 15 minutes of hands-on time for the sauce and 30 minutes for the meatballs, and then the pot takes over.

One thing to plan for: the cheese has to be fully sealed inside the meat. Any gap and it leaks into the sauce instead of staying in the middle. The steps below cover how to close that seam properly.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Hands-off cooking: Once the meatballs are in, you cover the pot and walk away for 2 to 2 1/2 hours on high.

Two meats, better flavor: Beef alone can taste flat. Mild sausage brings seasoning and fat that keeps the meatballs tender.

Freezer-friendly: These hold up well frozen in the sauce, so a batch of 14 covers more than one dinner.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Start the sauce

Put the crushed tomatoes, 1/3 cup chopped onion, crushed garlic, dried basil, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the slow cooker. Stir, cover, and set it to high. It heats while you make the meatballs, about 30 minutes. Short on time? A jar of prepared sauce works here too.

2. Mix the meatball base

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup chopped onion, Parmesan, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, eggs, milk and parsley. Leave the mozzarella out for now. Use your hands and mix until everything is evenly combined, then stop. Overworking the meat makes the meatballs dense.

3. Stuff each meatball

Take a golf ball sized piece of the meat mixture, about 2 tablespoons, and flatten it in your palm. Press a piece of mozzarella into the middle. Cup your hand and press the meat up and around the cheese until it's completely covered, then roll it smooth. Repeat with the rest of the meat and cheese, which should give you about 14 meatballs.

4. Load the slow cooker

Nestle the meatballs into the hot sauce one at a time, leaving a little space between them. Spoon sauce over the top so they're covered. Don't stir.

5. Cook until done

Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The meatballs are ready when they're firm to the touch and the center of one reads 160°F (71°C) on a thermometer. If you'd rather use low, it takes about 5 1/2 hours, which suits a workday better.

6. Serve

Spoon the meatballs and sauce over spaghetti, polenta or crusty bread, or serve them on their own in a bowl. Scatter the remaining parsley on top and taste the sauce for salt before you do.

Pro Tips

Cheese leaking into the sauce: This means a seam opened up. It's still good to eat, but next time use a slightly bigger piece of meat and press harder around the cheese.

Meatballs falling apart: The mix was probably too wet or under-mixed. Add a tablespoon more breadcrumbs and work the mixture until it holds when you squeeze a ball.

Sauce too thin at the end: Take the lid off for the last 20 minutes on high. Some crushed tomato brands are watery and need that time to thicken.

Slow cooker running hot: If your model runs hot, check the meatballs at the 2-hour mark. They're done when the center reads 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.

How to Store Easy Slow Cooker Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs And Sauce

Refrigerator

Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the meatballs in their sauce, which keeps them from drying out.

Freezer

Freeze the meatballs and sauce together in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely first, and leave an inch of headspace.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave, covered, until steaming hot all the way through. High heat will split the sauce and toughen the meat.

Delicious Variations

Turkey version

Swap the beef and sausage for 2 lb (900 g) ground turkey. Add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the meat mixture, since turkey is leaner and dries out faster.

Mozzarella pearls

Skip the cutting and use about 14 mozzarella pearls, one per meatball. They're the same size and seal more easily than a cut stick.

Extra garlic

Drop 3 or 4 whole peeled garlic cloves into the sauce before you add the meatballs. They soften and mellow over the cook time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use frozen meatballs instead?

Yes, but they won't have the cheese center. Use the same sauce and cook store-bought meatballs on high for about 2 hours, or according to the package directions. Add them frozen, not thawed.

Q: How do I know the meatballs are cooked through?

Use an instant-read thermometer. Push it into the center of a meatball, avoiding the cheese pocket, and look for 160°F (71°C). Firmness alone is a rough guide, not a reliable one.

Q: Why did my cheese disappear into the sauce?

The meat didn't fully enclose it. Next time, use a slightly larger piece of meat, press the seam closed with your fingers, and don't stir the pot during cooking.

Q: Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes. Roll and stuff the meatballs the night before and keep them covered in the fridge. Put the sauce ingredients in the slow cooker insert and refrigerate that too, then start cooking in the morning.

Q: Can I cook these on low instead of high?

Yes. Low heat takes about 5 1/2 hours. It's a good option if you're out of the house all day, and the meatballs come out just as tender.

Q: What should I serve with these meatballs?

Spaghetti or another long pasta is the usual choice. They also work over polenta, in a sub roll, or on their own with a side of garlic bread to soak up the sauce.

Get the meatballs rolled and into the pot before you start on anything else, and dinner is mostly waiting. If you make a double batch, freeze half in the sauce for a night when you don't want to cook.