Once blended, pour into a hot nonstick pan with the oil, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the onions are transparent. Then add in the chopped peppers and fresh basil.
In a large bowl combine the meat, breadcrumbs, cooked vegetable mixture and raw tomatoes. Mix until fully combined (I like to wear food grade rubber gloves for this). Add in a little more of the breadcrumbs it the mixture is too wet).
Form uniform sized meatballs that are about 1.5″ around then set into the crock pot, pour the tomato sauce over them to cover completely.
Add the lid and cook on low for about 3-4 hours or until the meatballs are done. The final cook time will depend on the size of the meatballs and the actual cooking temperature of the crockpot.
Veggie Meatballs Slow Cooker Recipe {Hide Their Veggies!}
Hide your children's veggies inside their favorite meatballs!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground bison or beef
- 1 big fist full of spinach
- 1 medium onion
- about a cup of chopped tomatoes
- ¼ to ½ cup of peppers
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 2-5 fresh basil leaves
- about 1 cup of bread crumbs or Panko
- 1 large jar of tomato sauce I like to use a tomato and basil.
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash all of the vegetables before starting. Rough chop the onion and place in the blender along with the spinach, blend until you have a relatively smooth consistency then pour into a hot, nonstick pan with the oil, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the onions are transparent.
- Then add in the chopped peppers and fresh basil.
- In a large bowl combine the meat, breadcrumbs, cooked vegetable mixture and raw tomatoes. Mix until fully combined (I like to wear food grade rubber gloves for this). Add in a little more of the breadcrumbs it the mixture is too wet).
- Form uniform sized meatballs that are about 1.5 around then set into the crock pot, pour the tomato sauce over them to cover completely. Add the lid and cook on low for about 3-4 hours or until the meatballs are done. The final cook time will depend on the size of the meatballs and the actual cooking temperature of the crockpot.
I hid veggies all sorts of places when my kids were younger. These look delicious!
You know, I would have never thought about making my own at home. It does look easier than I thought!
They can be intimidating at first but they really are not that hard to make.
My kids love meatballs. I usually just buy them, but these look fantastic. I’m going to need to try these.
What a great way to get the veggies in! Thank you for joining Delicious Dishes Recipe Party this week. We hope to see you again next week!
Pasta is a staple in my home and I will definitely be trying this recipe! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday, hope to see you again next week!
What a great idea! They don’t look veggie filled at all! Thank goodness I don’t have the problem of having kids who hate veggies! Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!
This looks like the perfect way to use fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden!
Even better when you can use fresh, home grown ingredients.
These meatballs look so tasty! Thanks so much for sharing your yummy recipe on the Monday Funday Party!
I would love to try these! Thanks for sharing with the Delicious Dishes Recipe party this week!
I do not see a full ingredient list and recipe on the page
Daniel, somehow the recipe just disappeared. It is fixed now. Sorry for the mess.
not seeing the recipe or full ingredient list
Hi Rosalie, the recipe somehow disappeared. But it is there now. Sorry for the mix up.
I must be blind because I can’t find the recipe and ingredient list :/
Genna, you were not blind. Somehow the entire recipe had disappeared but it is there now. Sorry for the confusion.
My 1 year old liked these, but my husband LOVED them! Anytime we have a get together now, my husband always gets me to make these. 🙂 They’re a big hit!
That is so great that your husband liked them the most. 😀
my meatballs fell apart :'(
but it still tastes great! any suggestions? should i add an egg? thats what i usually use when i make beef meatballs but i bake them
I’d try some more breadcrumbs. If they are too wet they will fall apart.
Wow! I’ve just started out experimenting with my new slow cooker. I would love to try this, it sounds delish, I love sneaking veggies into foods to get the extra health benefits, and taste, too.
Yes, I find sneaking them in is a great way to helm me and my kids get the full servings of veggies each day!