Easy Slow Cooker Meatballs & Sauce

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!

Are You Ready To Slow Cook Yourself Slim?

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.

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4.5 from 4 votes

Easy Slow Cooker Meatballs & Sauce Recipe

Easy slow cooker meatballs and sauce are so simple and delicious, a family favorite any time of year.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time6 hrs

Total Time6 hrs 30 mins

Servings (adjustable): 6

Calories: 408

Author: Martha | Simple Nourished Living

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

For a chunkier sauce, use diced tomatoes instead of crushed.

 

Weight Watchers PointsPlus: *10

Weight Watchers SmartPoints: *8

Weight Watchers Freestyle SmartPoints: *8

Nutrition Facts

Easy Slow Cooker Meatballs & Sauce Recipe

Amount Per Serving (3 meatballs + 3/4 cup sauce)

Calories 408 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 16g 25%

Total Carbohydrates 33g 11%

Dietary Fiber 5g 20%

Protein 32g 64%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: healthy meatballs, Italian meatballs

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*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 Weight Watchers Zero Points fruits and vegetables using the WW Recipe Builder.

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