You know how much I love those delicious precooked frozen meatballs available in the freezer at your grocer or local discount chain store. They are tender and flavorful, and you don't have to worry about food safety, since they are already fully cooked. And recently I've discovered Wild Rice Meatballs, combining two of my favorite foods. They are spectacular in Wild Rice Chili. This week, I decided to combine my favorite ingredient with my favorite appliance: the crockpot!
You can, of course, use your own homemade meatballs in any of these crockpot recipes. A good trick for cooking homemade meatballs is to bake them in the oven instead of frying them in a skillet. The meatballs cook more evenly with less work. Bake a pan of meatballs at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, until they are cooked through (check doneness by breaking open one meatball or testing with a food thermometer; it should read at least 160 degrees F). Then you can freeze them and use them in these recipes. Or use extra lean ground beef and just let the meatballs cook right in the crockpot!
The new crockpots on the market seem to cook faster and hotter than the older versions. Make sure you know your own crockpot; sometimes just 4-5 hours on low heat will be enough cooking time. Have fun experimenting with frozen meatballs and your slow cooker.
Crockpot Meatball Recipes
- Meatball Corn Crockpot Stew
This rich and delicious stew will fill your house with the most fabulous aroma as it cooks. Serve it with Easy Cornbread. - Crockpot Hoagie Sandwiches
These savory, traditional meatball sandwiches are so easy made in your crockpot. Choose a spicy pasta sauce for even more flavor. - Crockpot Wild Rice Chili
This fabulous recipe is my current favorite. It's amazing what the addition of wild rice to classic chili will do; you'll love it! - Easy Crockpot Meatball Soup
Frozen mixed vegetables added for the last hour of cooking means there's no chopping in this easy recipe. - Sweet and Sour Meatball Stew
This wonderful stew has the best sweet and sour flavor. I love the combination of tender meatballs with pineapple tidbits and bell peppers. - Slow Cooker Meatball Stew
Those delicious little meatballs are used in place of stew meat in this twist on classic beef stew. - Meatball and Potato Stew
Potatoes and evaporated milk combine to make this meatball stew rich and hearty. - Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs
For a traditional spaghetti and meatball dinner with absolutely no work at all, let this delicious entree simmer all day. - Swiss Crockpot Meatballs
Rice and meatballs cook in a golden soup mixture, then are combined with Swiss cheese for a creamy entree. - Meatballs and Gravy
For a hearty dinner, let these meatballs simmer all day in your crockpot in a rich gravy, then serve over potatoes or cooked noodles. - Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Make Swedish meatballs in your crockpot with canned soups and sour cream. - Crockpot Sauerbraten Meatballs
Get the flavor of German Sauerbraten without the work with this easy recipe. - Crockpot Meatball Chili
This excellent spicy chili recipe uses meatballs in place of stew meat. - Meatball Taco Soup
Mexican flavors combine with frozen meatballs in a hearty and savory soup.
