Slow Cooker Meatballs and Sauce they are the latest Set-and-forget comfort foodIt is cooked low and slow until everything is tender and flavorful. This cozy dinner is perfect for busy days when you want something homemade on the table.
Serve over mashed potatoes or homemade egg noodles for an easy and filling meal.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Slow Cooker Meatballs
Flavor: Rich, flavorful meatballs simmered in a creamy French onion sauce create a deep flavor with hints of garlic, Worcestershire, and sweet caramelized onion in every bite.
Recommended tools: A 6-quart slow cooker and a skillet.
Service Suggestions: Serve these meatballs over garlic mashed potatoes, homemade egg noodles, or rice, with a simple vegetable.
Total time: 4 hours 30 minutes serves: 4 Cooking method: slow cooker
Ingredient Notes for Slow Cooker Meatballs
- Meatballs: Frozen meatballs are a great shortcut and can be prepared directly from the frozen state without additional preparation. Homemade meatballs work too, and a quick browning before cooking helps them hold their shape and adds even more flavor to the sauce.
- Condensed French Onion Soup: This is the shortcut that really brings everything together, adding intense onion flavor and built-in seasonings to make the sauce rich and flavorful.
- Beef Broth: Adds flavorful body to the sauce. Use a low-sodium broth, as the condensed soup and meatballs may already be very salty.
- Cream: Heavy cream makes the sauce rich, silky and very comforting, while half and half can be used for a lighter option, although the sauce will be a little thinner.
- Worcestershire: The Worcestershire sauce adds that deep, savory steakhouse-style flavor that really rounds out the sauce. Soy sauce can work in a pinch; use a little less as it is saltier.
How to Make Slow Cooker Meatballs and Gravy
- Add the meatballs, cooked onions, garlic, and seasonings to the slow cooker. (full recipe below).
- Pour in the broth, French onion soup, cream and Worcestershire cheese.
- Stir and cook over low heat until meatballs are heated through.
- Add a cornstarch mixture at the end and cook until the sauce thickens.
Store, freeze, reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when possible.
Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or cream if the sauce has thickened.
The best accompaniments for meatballs and sauce
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If making homemade meatballs, combine the meat mixture and form into 36 meatballs. Brown lightly in a skillet over medium-high heat, cooking in batches if necessary. It is not necessary to cook them completely. (Frozen meatballs do not need to be browned.)
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Remove meatballs and place in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker (fully cooked frozen meatballs can be added directly from the freezer).
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Add the onions to the buttered skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes.
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Place onions in slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients except cornstarch and stir. Cook on low heat for 8 hours or on high heat for 4 hours.
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Remove bay leaf and discard. Combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Add to slow cooker and cover. Cook 15 minutes or until thickened.
Combine the following in a large bowl. Divide into 36 meatballs.
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef
- â…“ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon onion and garlic powder
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or over low heat on the stove.
Calories: 612 | Carbohydrates: 12gram | Protein: 32gram | Fat: 48gram | Saturated fats: 21gram | Polyunsaturated fats: 4gram | Monounsaturated fats: 19gram | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 681mg | Potassium: 1076mg | Fiber: 1gram | Sugar: 5gram | Vitamin A: 455UI | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary depending on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Slow Cooker Kitchen American© SpendWithPennies.com. The content and photographs are protected by copyright. Sharing this recipe is recommended and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting entire recipes on any social media is strictly prohibited. Please see my photo usage policy here.
