Are you searching for an effortless way to cook delicious meatballs in a crockpot without sauce? Look no further! 🍲 With a few simple steps, you can cook perfectly tender meatballs in your crockpot. First, get a pack of meat, prepare the broth, add them to the inner pot, and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Finally, top it off with trimmed spinach leaves for added nutrition. 🌿
Take meal prep to the next level with this convenient make-ahead option. Say goodbye to last-minute stress and hello to a low-effort, delicious dinner. Follow our guide to prepping and freezing meatballs in advance, then simply dump them into the crockpot and relax as a mouth-watering meal comes together with ease. 😌🍽️
Can I Cook Frozen Meatballs In A Crockpot Without Sauce?
Yes, certainly you can cook frozen or fresh meatballs in your crockpot or slow cooker. You can cook the meatballs in the crockpot for 5-6 hours with some simple ingredients or packet meatballs. Simply pop the meatballs in the crockpot, then add other ingredients and let them cook. You’ll for sure have a hearty meal with these juicy tender and delicious meatballs.🍲👌
Even without much monitoring, you can present such a delicious meal to your family, fantastic, right?😊 You must put the meatballs at the bottom of the pot to ensure that they get enough heat to get cooked properly.
As a reminder, cooking frozen food must take a longer period than cooking thawed or room-temperature food. Therefore, add some extra hours in your slow cooker or crock pot if you’re using frozen meatballs. 6 hours is the ideal time to cook the meatballs thoroughly.⏰🥶
What Sauces You Can Use In Frozen Meatballs?
If you add sauces to meatballs, it’ll add extra depth and flavour to your meal. So, here are the sauces that can make your meatballs more delicious-
Tomato Sauce
You can cook the meatballs in tomato sauce. Pour the tomato sauce over the frozen meatballs in the crockpot. Stir them properly and then cook for 4-6 hours. You can add mozzarella cheese on top!
Marinara Sauce
Same method as tomato sauce. The marinara sauce adds moisture and keeps the meatballs sour and sweet flavour.
BBQ Sauce
If you cook the meatballs in bbq sauce, then it’s better to serve those with hamburger buns. It’ll be mouth-watering.
Chilli Sauce
You can combine chilli sauce with grape jelly for a thick and flavourful gravy. It’ll taste delicious with pasta.
Honey & Soy Sauce
You can combine honey, soy sauce, and meatballs in the crockpot and cook for 4-6 hours. It’ll go best with pasta or rice.
Cooking Frozen Meatballs - Best Crockpot Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 Package of Frozen Meatballs
- 4 Cups of Beef Broth
- 1 Tbsp Lime juice
- 2 Tbsp Onion Powder
- 2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Black Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Cups of Baby Spinach Leaves
Notes
Cooking Direction
Step 1: Unpack The Meatballs
First, get the frozen meatballs out of the packet and pop them into the crockpot.Step 2: Prepare the Broth Mixture
Combine beef stock, sugar, black pepper, onion & garlic powder, red pepper, and lime juice and pour it into the crockpot over the meatballs.Step 3: Cooking Time
Close the lid and cook at low temperature for 6 hours and at high temperature for 3-4 hours.Step 4: Finishing Touch
Before serving the mouth-watering meatballs, throw some trimmed spinach leaves in the meatballs.How to Serve Meatballs?
You can have multiple or plenty of ways to serve your crockpot meatballs. I’ve come up with some of my favourite ways to serve meatballs here. No matter what ways you choose, it’ll be a bomb combination. Trust me! Here you go- 🍲🍝🍚🥗🍛🍲🍔🥔🥪🍢
Vegetables
You can stir-fry your favourite vegetables or make a vegetable salad. Then, add the meatballs to the vegetables. 🥦🥕🍅
Rice
Plain rice or fried rice, meatballs will go with any hot rice dish! 🍚
Soup
Cook your favourite soup and the meatballs in your soup. It’ll enhance the thickness and flavour of your soup. 🍲
Pasta
Throw the meatballs on your favourite pasta or noodles. 🍝
Eggs
Meatballs go very well with any kind of egg dish. Try once! 🍳
Salad
If you make green salads or fruit salads, you can add meatballs to the salad. It’ll not only enhance the taste but also be nutritious for your diet. 🥗
Sandwich
Take any burger bun or kaiser roll and put the meatballs in the middle. Throw in some of your favourite toppings! 🍔
Potatoes
Make any simple or delicious potato dish, add the meatballs to that or have it as a side dish. 🥔
Meatball Subs
Take any toasted bread or slider bun and make a sandwich with the meatballs. Top with some of your favourite veggies. 🥖
Appetiser
Simply serve them with some toothpicks. It’ll work as a great appetiser. 🍢
How Long to Cook Frozen Meatballs In Crockpot?
For a hearty comfort meal, meatballs are incomparable. 🍝 Frozen meatballs are easy to cook and need very few ingredients to prepare. However, if you are in a hurry and want to cook frozen meatballs in a crockpot, you’re making a fool of yourself. 🙈 It takes almost 6 hours to cook the meatballs thoroughly.
Once you have added the sauce or liquid, cover the crockpot and set it to cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6 hours. ⏲️ The cooking time will depend on the size of the meatballs and the temperature of your crockpot, so it’s important to check the meatballs periodically to ensure that they are cooked through.
When the meatballs are fully cooked, you can serve them hot with pasta, as an appetizer, or any other way you like. 🍽️ With a little bit of planning and the help of your crockpot, you can enjoy delicious and tender frozen meatballs in no time! 🎉
Frequently Asked Question
Can I directly put pre-cooked frozen meatballs into the crockpot?
Yes, you can put frozen cooked meatballs in the crockpot. However, it’s important to note that cooking time may vary depending on the size and number of meatballs. Usually, frozen cooked meatballs take about 2 to 3 hours to heat up completely in a slow cooker.
Will slow cooking cause my meatballs to fall apart?
It’s possible for meatballs to fall apart in the slow cooker, especially if they are made with a delicate mixture of ground meat and breadcrumbs. To prevent this, it’s recommended to brown the meatballs in a pan first or to use good slow cooker with a non-stick inner pot to prevent the meatballs from sticking and breaking apart.
Can I use the crockpot to prepare raw frozen meatballs??
Yes, you can cook raw frozen meatballs in the crockpot. However, cooking time may take longer as the frozen meatballs need to thaw and cook through. It’s recommended to cook the meatballs on low heat for 6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Is it possible to cook frozen meatballs without defrosting them first?
Yes, you can cook frozen meatballs without defrosting them. However, Keep in mind that the cooking time may be extended due to the need for the frozen meatballs to defrost and cook thoroughly.
If you are looking for other crockpot recipes then the John Wayne casserole recipe is a must-try recipe for you.
Conclusion
That’s all for your frozen meatballs without sauce recipe. If you want more depth and flavour in your meatballs, then you can add some of the recommended sauces. If you want to store the leftovers, then store them in an air-tight box in your fridge for 3-4 days.
If you feel your meatballs got dry as you don’t want to use sauce, then you can add some extra broth, water or milk to keep it moist or tender. However, don’t forget to adjust the time according to your meatballs amount. Best of luck!
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