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Slow Cooker Spicy Meatballs and Marinara

Name: Slow Cooker Spicy Meatballs and Marinara
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix; 2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs; 1/3 cup milk; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 3 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini peppers; 1/3 cup minced onion; 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning,, divided; 2 teaspoons minced garlic,, divided; 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; salt and pepper; 2 (28-ounce) cans tomato puree; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 1 teaspoon sugar

Slow Cooker Spicy Meatballs and Marinara- red pepper flakes and chopped pepperoncini peppers really give these meatballs some kick.

Serves4

Slow Cooker Spicy Meatballs and Marinara- red pepper flakes and chopped pepperoncini peppers really give these meatballs some kick. Serve over any pasta for a great family meal.

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Slow Cooker Spicy Meatballs and Marinara served over spaghetti.

How To Serve

Serve with Pepperoncini Garlic Bread and a green salad with Creamy Italian Dressing to round out the meal. These meatballs also make a great meatball sub.

Shape and Brown The Meatballs

Combine all the meatball ingredients and shape into 14 to 18 meatballs. Broil them for 8 to 10 minutes to get them browned on the outside. This extra step gives the meatballs so much more flavor.

How Long In The Slow Cooker

The meatballs take 5 to 6 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH. Because the meatballs slow cook in the sauce, the sauce is extra flavorful and the meatballs stay wonderfully moist.

Spicy Meatballs and Sauce in a slow cooker.

Use Meatloaf Mix

Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal and it makes super tasty and tender meatballs. If you can’t find meatloaf mix at the store, you can use equal parts of ground beef and ground pork or you can use all ground beef. Use a ground beef that is 85 to 90% lean. You want some fat in the meat so that the meatballs are tender and moist.

Slow Cooker Spicy Meatballs and Marinara Recipe Tips

Reduce the amount of crushed red pepper flakes if you want meatballs that are just slightly spicy.

For extra flavor, sprinkle some chopped fresh basil on top of the sauce just before serving.

Equipment Needed

Rimmed Baking Sheet
6-quart Slow Cooker- I use this Hamilton Beach Set & Go Programmable Slow Cooker.

Storage

Leftover sauce and meatballs can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days or frozen in a ziplock freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight.