Description
Marry Me Meatballs are tender, juicy meatballs slow-cooked in a creamy, flavorful sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, and Parmesan. This dish combines bold flavors, a silky texture, and hands-off prep, making it the perfect comfort meal for family dinners, busy weeknights, or gatherings. With minimal effort and maximum flavor, these meatballs deliver gourmet results every time.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 650 g ground chicken or beef
- 30 g plain flour
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Sauce:
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 100 g sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
- 300 ml boiling water
- 100 g cream cheese
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 15 g fresh basil leaves
Optional Add-ins:
- Red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, or cayenne
- Mushrooms, spinach, or roasted red peppers
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, plain flour, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined and form into bite-sized meatballs.
- Add the meatballs to the slow cooker along with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, paprika, crumbled stock cube, and boiling water. Stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2.5–3 hours or LOW for 5–6 hours, until meatballs are tender and cooked through.
- Just before serving, stir in cream cheese, grated Parmesan, and fresh basil leaves. Mix until creamy and smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve warm over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread.
Notes
- Use high-quality sun-dried tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Add the cream cheese and Parmesan at the end for the perfect creamy consistency.
- For a gluten-free version, use certified gluten-free flour and stock.
- To make it dairy-free, use vegan cream cheese and Parmesan.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours (on HIGH) or 6 hours (on LOW)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 435
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 570 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg