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. MORE+ LESS-

By Shawn Syphus

Updated May 20, 2015

Make with

Progresso Breadcrumbs

Ingredients

1 1/2

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/2

cup Progresso™ Italian style bread crumbs

tablespoons milk

egg, slightly beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into small pieces

jar (24 oz) tomato pasta sauce

package (l lb) pasta

Steps

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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.

Expert Tips

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 Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 710
Calories from Fat: 210

% Daily Value

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;