Combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, diced onion, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until just combined, about 1 minute. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough meatballs.
1 lb ground beef, 1 lb ground pork, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, 4 cloves garlic, 0.5 onion, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper
Shape mixture into 1 to 1.5-inch meatballs, about 24 to 30 total. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add meatballs in batches without crowding and brown 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. Drain excess fat from skillet and set meatballs aside.
2 tbsp olive oil
Pour half of the crushed tomatoes into the slow cooker base, then add remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, any remaining garlic if desired, and a pinch of salt. Spread sauce evenly to prevent meatballs from sticking during cooking.
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 4 cloves garlic
Arrange browned meatballs in the slow cooker in a single layer if possible, leaving small gaps between them. Pour remaining crushed tomatoes over the top. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
Turn off the slow cooker and let meatballs sit in sauce for 10 minutes to meld flavors. Stir in fresh chopped parsley, taste the sauce, and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with sauce spooned over the meatballs.
0.25 cup fresh parsley, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper
