WW Recipe of the Day: Slow Cooker Meatballs and Sauce
(408 calories | *8 WW Freestyle SmartPoints)
The easy slow cooker recipe is a great way to make homemade meatballs and sauce.
Easy Slow Cooker Meatballs and Sauce
You don’t have to worry about the sauce bubbling over or scorching your pot during the long hours of simmering.
And talk about easy, you don’t even have to precook the meatballs.
Skinny on Easy Slow Cooker Meatballs and Sauce
Be sure to use at least 93% lean ground beef in this easy slow cooker meatballs and sauce recipe, so that it’s not too greasy.
Ground turkey or a combination of ground turkey and turkey sausage would work well too.
Serve with whole wheat spaghetti, spaghetti squash or skinny zucchini noodles (aka “zoodles”).
It would be delicious on toasted rolls with roasted bell peppers and melted cheese too.
According to my calculations each serving has 408 calories, *10 Weight Watchers PointsPlus, *8 WW Freestyle SmartPoints. Enjoy!
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If you’ve made these slow cooked meatballs, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it.
Easy Slow Cooker Meatballs & Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds 93% lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 jar (28 ounces) marinara sauce (I like Classico and Bertolli)
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf, optional
Instructions
- Ideal Slow Cooker Size: 4 to 6-Quart (Your slow cooker should be between 1/2 and 3/4 full.)
- In a large bowl, gently mix together the beef, egg, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, parsley, onion and garlic powder until well combined.
- Shape the mixture into 18 golf-ball sized meatballs.
- Place meatballs in the slow cooker.
- Stir together the marinara sauce, crushed tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning and bay leaf, if using. Pour over the meatballs.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through.
- If you used a bay leaf, fish it out and discard before serving.
Recipe Notes
*PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
If You Like Easy Crock Pot Meatballs and Sauce, You Might Also Like:
- Easy Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs Recipe (Simple-Nourished-Living)
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs (Simple-Nourished-Living)
- Easy Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup (Simple-Nourished-Living)
- Crock Pot Italian Meatball Soup (Simple-Nourished-Living)
- Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers (Simple-Nourished-Living)
- Light Italian Meatballs (LaaLoosh)
- Weight Watchers Spaghetti & Chicken Meatballs (Simple-Nourished-Living)
- Super Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs (Weight Watchers)
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Hi, I'm Martha. Simple Nourished Living chronicles the easy and delicious Weight Watchers friendly recipes, tips & hints that help me balance my love of food and desire to be happy, healthy and slim. 
Marge Morrison
This looks LOVELY! Have wanted to try crockpot sauce for a long time – never quite had the courage! But I truly think that this picture sells me — I’m ready to give it a try!!! Can almost taste it now.
Mary
These meatballs looks delectable. I’ll be trying this one soon. Thanks!
Martha McKinnon
Hope you like them, Mary!
Deb
Look delicious, but where do you use the sugar and is it really needed?
Debby
Excellent! I loved having this in the crockpot all day while I was busy with other things. Great flavor, nice meatballs, too.
Martha McKinnon
Thanks, Debby!
Kristine
Would you happen to know how many smart points just for the meatballs? I have a 0 SP Marinara I can use, so my points would only be for the balls. Thanks!
Martha McKinnon
Hi Kristine, unfortunately I don’t but I am sure you can figure it out with the WW recipe builder. Just add up the meatball ingredients!!
Janice M Lloyd
Love your recipes, but I can’t eat tomatoes and my husband doesn’t like them cooked in any way – would love to find good slow cooker recipe for swedish meatballs. Do you have any?
Martha McKinnon
Hi Janice, I don’t have one off the top of my head, but will add it to my list of recipes to find and share. Here’s an easy meatball recipe that is tomato free: https://simple-nourished-living.com/easy-slow-cooker-french-onion-meatballs/