Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker Recipes » Beef Recipes » Slow Cooker Meatballs and Tomato Cream Sauce

Slow Cooker Meatballs and Tomato Cream Sauce

Slow Cooker Tomato Cream Sauce

I always preach that a little planning and a little work ahead of time really pays off. I go on and on giving you my advice on how to make meals that are stress free, how to have all the work done ahead of time and how it all really helps out on those super busy days we all have. Sometimes I even listen to myself and actually do as I say! Remember when we made these meatballs the other day? Well, it really did paid off when I could toss them (frozen! yes!!) right in the slow cooker with a couple ingredients and have a home-cooked made from scratch Italian meal on a day when we would normally end up at a drive through.

Slow Cooker Tomato Cream Sauce

I actually love eating just the meatballs and sauce as my main dish with maybe a little veggie side and a tossed salad. And of course a nice helping of warm crusty bread is a must! For the family I usually cook up some pasta noodles and set out some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Slow Cooker Tomato Cream Sauce

I know it’s super easy to open a jar of sauce and that’s something I do often. But there are also lots of reasons to make your own from scratch! It’s so much easier than you’d think and you don’t have to worry about sodium or sugar content because you are in control!

Slow Cooker Tomato Cream Sauce

I love to add just the small amount of cream to the sauce since it cuts down the acidity a bit and gives the sauce a nice smooth texture. Give it try! See if you agree that making your own sauce is worth the few extra minutes!

Slow Cooker Tomato Cream Sauce

Slow Cooker Meatballs and Tomato Cream Sauce

Slow Cooker Meatballs and Tomato Cream Sauce

Jennifer Draper
No ratings yet
Save
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 recipe prepared cooked meatballs frozen is fine
  • 1 can 28oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can 8oz tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions
 

  • Put sauce ingredients (except for heavy cream) in slow cooker and stir to combine
  • Add meatballs
  • Cover and cook until heated through (meatballs are cooked so just need to warm food) about 2-4 hours on high or 4-8 hours on low depending if frozen
  • Add cream and stir to combine
  • Serve with pasta or as desired

Notes

I cooked these on high in my 4 quart slow cooker for 3 hours.
Tried this recipe?Mention @slowcookergourmet or tag #slowcookergourmet!
Important nutritional disclaimer

 Slow Cooker Tomato Cream Sauce

link

9 Comments

  1. If I make the Meatball today and put then in the crock pot tomorrow since they are not frozen how long should I cook them for? 4 hours in low?

    1. Hi there! 4 hours on low should be long enough. My slow cooker cooks fairly fast so it might depend on how yours typically cooks. I would assume that 4 hours on low for thawed meatballs should be sufficient though. I hope you enjoy them!

  2. It is not a safe bet to put frozen meat in the crockpot. It takes too long to get out of the danger zone and above 140 degrees. BE SAFE! Thaw those meatballs overnight before putting them in the crockpot.

    1. Hi Robyn! Very true and best to be safe. These meatballs are fully cooked prior to freezing but you are right, to be as safe as possible thaw them out and then heat in the slow cooker.

  3. I make my own meatballs. It does not take much time for me to do this. Plan it out and it works. Plus, the result is tastier. But I understand those without this extra time available, so the frozen ones will work for them. Tried it both ways and both were good, one just a little better, but it does take time to make your own meatballs.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating