Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Meatballs

Taco spiced meatballs are slow cooked in an easy enchilada sauce. Serve these Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Meatballs over rice or tortilla chips or turn them into a Tex-Mex style hoagie sandwich!

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I am officially now one of those moms with the crazy schedules. I thought I still had a few more years of “normal” (if that even exists!!) but managing schedules these days is not easy. Not only do we have three different times for school, and three different times for pick up, but we have soccer and play dates and throw in work and housework and anything else that comes my way. The days of having a full day at home are gone.

These schedules can make dinner time pretty crazy, as well. Sometimes there just isn’t time to make dinner. So what do you do? I am pretty good about menu planning, and when I sit down to make my calendar, I make note of any nights that are going to be extra crazy. And those nights are normally dedicated to the slow cooker.

These Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Meatballs are a perfect dinner idea for one of those busy nights. All the prep can be done a little earlier, then dinner is waiting for you after you get done running kids and getting everything checked off on the to-do list.

One of my biggest hints when it comes to slow cooker meatballs (or most meat in the slow cooker, for that matter) is to sear them off first. I do this under the broiler in the oven. This helps the meatballs stay together and gives them an extra layer of flavor.

These meatballs are super flavorful. We love to eat them over rice, but they would be great over tortilla chips as well, or turn them into a Tex-Mex meatball sandwich. No matter how you serve them, I can’t think of a better way to get dinner on the table on those busy nights!

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Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Meatballs

Taco spiced meatballs are slow cooked in an easy enchilada sauce. Serve the over rice or tortilla chips or turn them into a Tex-Mex style hoagie sandwich!

• Author: Deborah
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hours 10 mins
• Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings
• Category: Main Dish

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 lb mild sausage
• 1 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 package Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 (14.5 oz each) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 (10 oz each) cans Old El Paso Mild Enchilada Sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• cooked rice, sliced avocados, chopped cilantro, optional

Instructions

Place the oven rack 4-5 inches from the broiler, then preheat the broiler to high.  Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, cheese, milk, eggs, taco seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Mix together until completely combined, but don’t over-mix.

Either by hand, or using a small scoop, form the mixture into balls, using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each meatball. You should end up with 40-45 meatballs.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs under the broiler until browned, flipping halfway through, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a large slow cooker.

In a bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Pour over the meatballs.

Cook on low until the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 hours. 

If desired, serve over rice, topped with avocados and cilantro.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: about 5 meatballs
• Calories: 478

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I am in a working relationship with Old El Paso, and this post has been sponsored by Old El Paso. Thank you for supporting me and the companies I partner with.