Marry Me Meatballs
Frozen meatballs in a sun-dried tomato and Parmesan cream sauce, cooked in the slow cooker and served over spaghetti.
Marry Me Meatballs
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes4
hoursFrozen meatballs in a sun-dried tomato and Parmesan cream sauce, cooked in the slow cooker and served over spaghetti.
Ingredients
2 lb frozen fully cooked meatballs
1 jar (8 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
12 oz spaghetti
2 tbsp chopped basil
Directions
- Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, crushed tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, pepper flakes and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the frozen meatballs and stir to coat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
- Check a meatball in the center with a thermometer. It should read 165°F.
- Boil the spaghetti in salted water until al dente while the cooker rests.
- Turn the cooker to WARM and stir in the cream a little at a time.
- Add the Parmesan and stir until the sauce is smooth. Do not let it boil.
- Taste and adjust the salt.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti with basil.
Notes
- Add the dairy at the very end. Marry Me meatballs freeze better before the cream goes in. Use freshly grated Parmesan for a smooth sauce, because pre-shredded cheese often clumps.
Why Marry Me Meatballs hold up in the pot
Frozen, fully cooked meatballs are already seasoned and firm, so they take hours of gentle heat without turning to mush. The sun-dried tomatoes do the heavy lifting on flavor. Cream is the fragile part, which is why it waits until the end.
Frozen meatballs matter here. They release a little liquid as they thaw in the sauce, which loosens the tomatoes just enough. Fresh Parmesan melts in smoothly, while the sun-dried tomatoes in oil bring a sweet, concentrated tang that crushed tomatoes alone cannot match.
Swaps that work, and one that does not
Penne or rigatoni catch the sauce just as well as spaghetti. Mascarpone stirred in off the heat can stand in for part of the cream. Do not use half-and-half or milk. They split in a hot, acidic tomato sauce and leave it grainy.
Storing and freezing
Freeze the meatballs in the tomato base before the dairy goes in, then add cream and cheese when you reheat. Cooked pasta goes in its own container. In the fridge the dish keeps about 3 days. Warm it gently on the stove with a splash of broth.
The mistake to avoid
Dumping the cream in while the pot is bubbling hot. Switch to warm first and pour slowly while stirring. Cold cream straight from the carton can also shock the sauce, so let it sit out while the pasta boils.
Marry Me Meatballs at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by frozen fully cooked meatballs, jar (8 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, garlic cloves, (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
Tips for Marry Me Meatballs
Add the dairy at the very end. Marry Me meatballs freeze better before the cream goes in. Use freshly grated Parmesan for a smooth sauce, because pre-shredded cheese often clumps.
Marry Me Meatballs FAQ
How long does Marry Me Meatballs take?
Marry Me Meatballs takes 4 hours of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Marry Me Meatballs serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Marry Me Meatballs?
12 ingredients, led by frozen fully cooked meatballs, jar (8 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, garlic cloves, (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
Part of: 7 Crockpot Meatball Recipes for Parties and Dinner
