Slow Cooker Mediterranean Beef Meatballs with Lebanese Green Beans is full of warm spices and slow cooks in your crockpot to make dinner easy. Beef meatballs are spiced with Mediterranean flavors and slow cooker in Lebanese green beans creating the perfect sauce paired with the meatballs and rice.  

SLOW COOKER MEDITERRANEAN BEEF MEATBALLS 

One of my favorite things to share with you guys is my Lebanese family recipes.

There is nothing more special to me than the food I grew up eating and appreciating the flavors, ingredients and spices of the Middle East.

Today’s Slow Cooker Mediterranean Beef Meatballs with Lebanese Green Beans is a twist on a couple of recipes that I paired together and cooked in my slow cooker.

I know my Lebanese Grandma isn’t cooking her Lebanese Green Beans in a crockpot but who says we can’t take a few short cuts? Am I right? With school in session we need all of the help we can get.

Today’s recipe uses the spices from Kibbeh and rolls them up into a beef meatball.

The spices of cumin, allspice, cinnamon and cayenne red pepper are my favorite when paired together.

The meatballs then slow cook in Lebanese green beans, a mixture of frozen green beans, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes and warm spices.

After these Slow Cooker Meatballs simmer all day long, your house will smell absolutely amazing.

Every time I make this I feel like I am sitting in my Grandma’s house when I was younger.

Once these Slow Cooker Mediterranean Beef Meatballs with Lebanese Green Beans are done cooking garnish it with a good handful of fresh parsley.

I like to serve it with a bed of rice, a dollop of plain yogurt and enough pita bread to soak up all of those delicious juices that simmered all day long. 

This dish works wonderfully as a dinner but also could be a nice appetizer.

The meatballs could be served with toothpicks and the tomato sauce for dipping.

Did you know this month is Crocktober?

I love my crockpot, so I am all about celebrating all things slow cooker.

The Ohio Beef Council  and I are partnering to bring you this easy, delicious must-make slow cooker recipe.

This October, thousands of families across Ohio will buy beef.

Ohioans spend $4.1 billion each year on beef, which is a healthy, high-quality protein choice. That’s a lot of delicious beef!

WHY SHOULD I PREPARE BEEF IN A SLOW COOKER?

For an easy, convenient weekday dinner, just prepare beef in the slow cooker! Spend more time around the table eating as a family and less time cooking.

When preparing beef in the slow cooker, it should be cooked to 160 degrees, or until it is fork tender.  

Preparing healthy meals ahead of time can help avoid eating unhealthy foods on days you’re short on time.

A 3-ounce serving of beef (about the size of an iPhone) provides more than 10 essential nutrients and half the daily recommended value of protein for less than 150 calories.

Beef is a great source of protein for dinner and helps keep your energy fueled.

If you love your slow cooker as much as I do here are some tips to help you create the perfect meal:

1. When using a slow cooker, set the heat to low as often as possible. A slow, gentle heat really brings out the flavors.
2. Don’t over-crowd the cooker! A slow cooker works best when it’s between ½ and 2/3 full of ingredients.
3. Preheat the slow cooker. Rather than adding all of the ingredients and then turning on the heat, give your cooker an extra 20 minutes to warm up.
4. Resist the urge to peek when using a slow cooker and keep the lid shut. This prevents heat from escaping which could lead to slowing the cooking process.
5. Browning beef boosts the flavor! Taking extra minutes to brown meat in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker gives it a deep, caramelized flavor.

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Slow Cooker Mediterranean Beef Meatballs with Lebanese Green Beans

Yield: 30 meatballs

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Beef Meatballs with Lebanese Green Beans is full of warm spices and slow cooks in your crockpot to make dinner easy. Beef meatballs are spiced with Mediterranean flavors and slow cooker in Lebanese green beans creating the perfect sauce paired with the meatballs and rice.  

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Ingredients

For the Mediterranean Beef Meatballs:

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef {I use 80/20}

For the Lebanese Green Beans:

• 2 - 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 - 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 1 lb. frozen green beans
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

1. Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce into your slow cooker followed by the cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and stir until well combine. Add the frozen green beans, onions and garlic. Mix well.
2. In a large bowl combine the cumin, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, parsley, breadcrumbs and olive oil. Mix together. Add the beef and use your hands to mix everything together.
3. Form the beef mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them in the slow cooker, trying to submerge them under the tomato sauce.
4. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
5. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over a bed of rice with pita and yogurt.