Slow-Cooker Cheesy Meatballs in Zesty Tomato Sauce
Prep
30 Minutes
Total Time
3 Hours
Servings
12
Ingredient List
- ½ can (28 oz/796 mL) fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 can (113 mL) Old El Paso™ Chopped Green Chilies
- 1 to 2 chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef
- ½ cup (125 mL) panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup (125 mL) finely chopped onion
- ¼ cup (50 mL) finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup (50 mL) milk
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) from 1 container (177 g) Old El Paso™ Taco Seasoning Mix
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cumin
- 24 (½-inch/1.25 cm) cubes Monterey Jack cheese
Preparation
- Spray 5-quart (5 litre) slow cooker with cooking spray. In blender, add tomatoes, chilies and garlic. Cover; blend 30 to 60 seconds or until smooth. Pour tomato mixture into slow cooker.
- In large bowl, mix beef, bread crumbs, onion, cilantro, milk, egg, taco seasoning mix and cumin. Shape into 24 (1 ½ -inch/4 cm) meatballs; tuck one piece of cheese in centre of each meatball, and seal completely. Add meatballs to tomato mixture in slow cooker; gently turn to coat.
- Cover; cook on Low heat setting 2 ½ to 3 hours or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked (165°F/74°C); stir.
Expert Tips
- If you can’t find fire roasted diced tomatoes, you certainly can use regular canned diced tomatoes instead.
- Make sure to use lean or extra lean ground beef as it will prevent the sauce from getting too greasy.
- You can turn down the heat a little in this recipe by using only 1 chipotle chili instead of 2.