Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

Why This Works: Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

• Frozen meatballs. No mixing, rolling, or browning.
• Allspice and nutmeg. The warm spices that make the gravy taste Swedish.
• Worcestershire and Dijon. Savory depth and a little tang.
• Low-sodium broth. Keeps the gravy from getting too salty.
• Sour cream at the end. Creamy and smooth, with no curdling.

What You'll Need

• Frozen meatballs: Fully cooked homestyle beef or beef-and-pork meatballs. No need to thaw.
• Beef broth: Low-sodium.
• Cream of mushroom soup: Makes a creamy gravy base.
• Worcestershire and Dijon: Savory and tangy.
• Onion powder, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper: The Swedish seasoning.
• Sour cream: Stirred in at the end.
• Parsley or dill: Fresh flavor on top.
• Egg noodles and lingonberry jam: The classic way to serve them. Cranberry sauce is a good substitute for lingonberry.

How to Make It

Put the frozen meatballs in a 6-quart slow cooker. In a bowl, whisk the broth, mushroom soup, Worcestershire, Dijon, onion powder, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper until smooth. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir to coat.

Cover and cook on LOW 4 hours or HIGH 2–3 hours, until the meatballs are hot all the way through (165°F). If the sauce is thin, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook on HIGH 15 minutes. Turn to LOW. Stir in the sour cream and cook 10–15 minutes until warmed through. Don't let it boil.

Taste and add salt or pepper. Sprinkle with parsley or dill. Serve over buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes, with jam on the side if you like.

Troubleshooting

• Bland gravy: the most common problem. Without the warm spices and savory boosters, it tastes like plain mushroom soup. Don't skip the allspice, nutmeg, Worcestershire, and Dijon.
• Too salty: Regular broth plus soup plus seasoned meatballs. Use low-sodium broth and taste before salting.
• Curdled sauce: Sour cream added too early or boiled. Add it last, on LOW.
• Thin gravy: Frozen meatballs release water as they thaw. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry.
• Mushy meatballs: Cooked too long. Four hours on LOW is enough.

Party Meatball Guide

For parties, use cocktail-size meatballs if you can find them, and set out toothpicks.

How to Tell When They're Done

Frozen meatballs are already cooked, so you're just heating them through. Cut one of the largest meatballs in half. It should be steaming hot in the center, with no cold spots, or reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. The gravy should be bubbling gently at the edges and coat the back of a spoon. If it's still thin, add the cornstarch slurry before the sour cream.

A Quick Homemade Gravy (No Canned Soup)

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 2 cups beef broth and ½ cup heavy cream, then simmer until thick, 3–4 minutes. Add the Worcestershire, Dijon, and spices, and pour it over the meatballs in place of the soup and broth.

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs Substitutions

• Cream of mushroom soup: Use cream of chicken, or make a quick roux (see the FAQ).
• Sour cream: Use heavy cream (½ cup) or plain Greek yogurt.
• Beef broth: Use chicken broth for a lighter gravy.
• Egg noodles: Use mashed potatoes, rice, or cauliflower mash.

Variations

• From scratch gravy: Replace the soup with a butter, flour, broth, and cream gravy.
• Turkey meatballs: Use frozen turkey meatballs for a lighter version.
• Mushroom: Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms at the start.
• Stovetop: Simmer the meatballs in the sauce in a large skillet for 20 minutes, then add the sour cream.

Storing

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth. For freezing, freeze the meatballs in gravy before adding the sour cream. Thaw, reheat, and stir in fresh sour cream.

What to Serve With Them

• Buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes
• Steamed green beans or roasted carrots
• Lingonberry jam or cranberry sauce
• Pickled cucumbers for a tangy side

More meatball recipes: teriyaki turkey meatballs and buffalo chicken meatballs. For more hands-off dinners, see our easy slow cooker recipes.