Cheesy Slow-Cooker Meatballs and Twisted Garlic Bread

Name: Cheesy Slow-Cooker Meatballs and Twisted Garlic Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef; 1/2 cup Progresso™ Italian style bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons milk; 1 egg, slightly beaten; Salt and pepper to taste; 5 mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into small pieces; 1 jar (24 oz) tomato pasta sauce; 1 package (l lb) pasta

26 Ratings

24 Reviews

Cheesy Slow-Cooker Meatballs and Twisted Garlic Bread

Prep 15 min
Total 4 hr 15 min
Ingredients 8
Servings 6

Stuff meatballs with mozzarella cheese for a simple spin on spaghetti, sure to please even your pickiest eaters.

By Shawn Syphus

Updated May 20, 2015

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 cup Progresso™ Italian style bread crumbs
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
5 mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into small pieces
1 jar (24 oz) tomato pasta sauce
1 package (l lb) pasta

Steps

1

In large bowl, mix beef, bread crumbs, milk egg, salt and pepper with hands until well combined. Shape mixture into small balls about the size of a Ping-Pong ball.
2

With finger, make hole in 1 ball but do not go all the way through. Place 1 piece of cheese in hole; enclose cheese by pinching hole back together. Repeat with remaining beef mixture and cheese pieces.
3

Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour pasta sauce into cooker. Place meatballs in sauce.
4

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 hours.
5

About 25 to 30 minutes before meatballs are done, cook pasta as directed on package; drain.

Try switching out the mozzarella cheese sticks with ones of sharp Cheddar cheese or Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend.
Add a teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder and parsley flakes to the beef mixture for an even bigger boost of flavor!
Serve with Twisted Garlic Bread.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 710

Calories from Fat: 210

Total Fat: 23g; 35%

Saturated Fat: 9g; 43%

Trans Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 115mg; 39%

Sodium: 780mg; 32%

Potassium: 750mg; 21%

Total Carbohydrate: 85g; 28%

Dietary Fiber: 6g; 24%

Sugars: 12g

Protein: 42g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 20%; 20%

Vitamin C: 10%; 10%

Calcium: 25%; 25%

Iron: 35%; 35%

Exchanges:

5 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;