A sweet and savory slow cooker Moroccan meatball that you can make in your slow cooker- or not! They are delicious and easy no matter how you cook ’em! Serve over couscous for an awesome meal!
Do y’all use a crock pot? Yay or nay? You can’t really beat it for convenience, but the browning goodness isn’t quite as glorious as using a conventional pan. With these meatballs, I give you both options! Because variety is the spice of life. And this is America! Or something like that. These Slow Cooker Moroccan Meatballs are packed with Sephardic inspired flavors. Because matzo ball soup and brisket are fine and dandy, but you can’t beat the sweet and savory spices. With crunchy almonds, sweet raisins and smokey smoked paprika (how’s that for a descriptor?), I like to serve these over couscous, or just on a toothpick for, let’s say, a Super Bowl party! Anyhoo, let’s get started.
In a bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, matzah meal or flour, garlic, almonds, cilantro, raisins, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Form into 1-inch meat balls. At least point, either put sauce ingredients into a crock pot and cover add meatballs. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Or, heat the oil in a large heavy bottom sauté pan over medium high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove the meatballs and set aside. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté until shallots are soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, cinnamon, smoked paprika and brown sugar. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Then add meatballs and simmer covered over low heat for 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked and sauce is thick. Add water if the sauce gets too thick.
Ta da! Garnish with cilantro and more almonds and serve over couscous.
Slow Cooker Moroccan Meatballs
Ingredients
- For meatballs:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup flour or matzah meal
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- For the sauce:
- 1 large shallots finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 14- ounce can tomato sauce use two if you are using a slow cooker
- 1 16- ounce can stewed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, matzah meal or flour, garlic, almonds, cilantro, raisins, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
- Form into 1-inch meat balls. At least point, either put sauce ingredients into a crock pot and cover add meatballs. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Or, heat the oil in a large heavy bottom sauté pan over medium high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove the meatballs and set aside. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté until shallots are soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, cinnamon, smoked paprika and brown sugar. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Then add meatballs and simmer covered over low heat for 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked and sauce is thick. Add water if the sauce gets too thick. Serve over couscous and garnish with cilantro and almonds!
Amy, these look SO good! I’m going to have to try them asap!
Thanks, Rachel!
Best of both worlds – brown the meatballs first, then toss into the slow cooker. My mom always did that and now so do I for just about any slow cooker meat. I love the convenience, but miss the browning. Is it an extra skillet? Yes. But if it’s worth it to you to have the browned meat taste, etc. then do it!
That is the best! I agree. But people get super lazy.
Made these for dinner tonight – awesome! Hub loved them and Kidzilla really loved them. That kid has such grown-up taste! I did them just the way your recipe says to an they were fabulous. I did take the extra step to brown the meatballs because it’s just what I do – hate slow-cooker meat that doesn’t get the brown. And while I definitely could have done the stove top method, I kinda didn’t want to be bothered – I wanted to do other things while they hung out in the slow cooker. Served over couscous and have three meals worth of leftovers for us in the freezer – hoping this freezes well!
I’m so glad! Love the sweet and savory flavor of these, and the crunchy almonds. I definitely brown mine- it makes such a difference! I froze some of mine and they defrost great!!
Excellent – these will be great for a quick no-cook night, then! They smelled amazing even when just mixing them. But as they cooked? Even better!
🙂
I did not love the stewed tomatoes only because I do not like chunks of tomato in my sauce ever. But I do love the fresh smell and taste they provide. So next time I would maybe puree them to get the flavor and taste but no chunks. 🙂
Got it- I love the chunks!
I wish I did – I think it’s a texture thing. I love tomatoes, but somehow when they’re cooked, I don’t like any pieces.
This is one of my absolute favorite recipes. And even though I love cardamom, I’ve tried it both ways, and I actually prefer the cinnamon, which surprised me. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing. Even my kids will eat these. =)
Aw thank you! That makes me so happy to hear!