Crock Pot Meatball Sub Casserole - Recipes That Crock! (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep meatballs from falling apart in a crock pot? ›

To keep them warm, your best bet is probably leaving them in a slow-cooker on the “warm” setting.

Meatball Sub Sandwiches feature homemade meatballs covered in tangy marinara sauce, topped with gooey fontina (or mozzarella cheese) AND provolone cheese, all loaded on a hoagie roll! Top with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor. And serve with plenty of napkins!

Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

Just brown them in the oven under broil and then set the crockpot on low and cook them overnight in the sauce. They'll be perfectly done, perfectly safe, and delicious in the morning. A few extra hours won't hurt them at all and then you won't have to worry about time, temperature and food safety.

After the cooking time is up, set the slow cooker to the warm setting. The meatballs can be kept warm for up to 3 hours. Check on the meatballs occasionally and stir. Add a splash of water if sauce seems to be dry.

ANSWER: Usually when meatballs fall apart, it's the binder that is the problem. Most meatball recipes call for using bread crumbs and eggs. But too much bread crumbs make them too loose, and not enough bread crumbs won't help them hold together either.

No, you do not have to thaw frozen meatballs before cooking them in sauce. In fact, cooking them frozen can help them hold their shape better. Here are some tips for cooking frozen meatballs in sauce: Heat your sauce of choice in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat.

Should I thaw frozen meatballs before putting them in slow cooker? ›

The internal temperature of the ground beef meatballs should be 160º when completely cooked. Do you thaw meatballs before putting them in a crockpot? Nope! The frozen meatballs can go straight from the freezer and into the crockpot.

The stale taste is because when food is frozen for too long, it can dry out. You want to add egg to the meat to moisten it. Make sure to blend the whole egg into the meat so that it can be thoroughly absorbed.

The cheese should have a delicate flavor that will not overshadow the juicy meatballs in zesty marinara. That narrows it down to provolone or mozzarella cheese, the most popular choices at delis and restaurants from coast to coast.

Marinara- Our favorite jarred sauce is hands down Rao's. Nothing compares in my opinion. We usually buy the giant jars from Costco anyway, but of course any marinara you like will work. Provolone cheese- You could use provolone or fresh mozzarella here.

You can use any vegetables you have on hand, but in this recipe, they use broccoli, red peppers, and sweet potatoes. If you have the time to prepare these, you won't regret it. Jalapenos pair delightfully with meatball subs, and so why not serve them on the side?

Because of the sauce, you're not likely to overcook these ground beef meatballs following the cook time listed. However, it is possible if the meatballs are left in the slow cooker too long. I do recommend using a programmable slow cooker that will switch to low after the cook time elapses to help avoid overcooking.

“Beef may be tough in the slow cooker if you haven't added enough liquid, or haven't cooked it for long enough,” Kristen Carli, M.S., R.D., owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, tells SELF. “For cuts of meat, the fattier cuts are often the ones that get juicy and tender.

Freezing the meatballs in a single layer first means that they won't stick together once frozen. This means you can take out only what you need, which is helpful if you're freezing more than one batch at a time. Place meatballs in a single layer on a tray lined with baking paper and put in the freezer.

You want them firm enough so they don't fall apart when cooking, while still keeping a tender, juicy texture. That is why it is key to use a binder or two.