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Slow cooker Swedish meatballs braised in a rich and flavorful cream sauce. A combination of ground beef, pork, and warm spices make for a comforting and satisfying dish. Serve as an easy appetizer or hearty meal paired with mashed potatoes or egg noodles!
Complete your Swedish meatballs with these mashed potatoes and a side of roasted asparagus! It’s a hearty meal that everyone in the family will enjoy.
Crockpot Swedish Meatballs
I’m so excited to share this comforting slow cooker Swedish meatballs recipe with you. Let’s break it down- there are a couple key secrets to making meatballs that are extra juicy and tender. You’ve got to throw in a panade (fancy word for a starchy paste that makes them extra delicious), and then let them simmer gently, cooking low and slow. (The slow cooker does all the work here!) I’ve done tons of testing, so you’ll get that perfect texture and flavor every time you whip this up.
Using an electric slow cooker is the perfect vessel for braising meat over a long period of time. Compared to a stove top, the heating is more consistent and never gets above the boiling point. In other words, your meatballs won’t get overcooked! They’ll be nice and tender, not tough and dry. The spiced meatballs simmer in a lightly thickened beef broth, then cream is added at the end of cooking for some extra richness. I love this recipe because it’s virtually hands-off and a hit with the family every time. Let’s get started!
Ingredients Needed for Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs are all about the perfect combination of ingredients! From juicy meatballs to a rich, flavorful sauce, each ingredient below plays a crucial role in making this dish so tasty. Check out the recipe card at the end of the post for measurements.
- Frozen Meatballs, Precooked: Frozen meatballs make preparing this dish so simple!
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the sauce.
- Flour: Used to make the panade and thicken the sauce.
- Beef Broth: Provides a savory base for the sauce. Mushroom or vegetable broth will also work, but it will change the overall flavor of the dish slightly.
- Heavy Cream: Adds creaminess and richness to the sauce. You can also use half and half for something a little lighter.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Enhances the flavor of these slow cooker Swedish meatballs with a tangy and savory taste.
- Dijon Mustard: So the sauce has a little extra tanginess and zing.
- Spices: I used a dash of allspice and nutmegs to give the meatballs a warm flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: Make the slow cooker Swedish meatballs taste better overall.
- Noodles: Serve as a base for the Swedish meatballs, soaking up all that delicious sauce.
How to Make Swedish Meatballs in a Slow Cooker
This recipe takes a little bit of prep work initially, but then it’s off to the slow cooker to let it work its magic! While these Swedish meatballs cook low and slow, you can go about your day and then come home to a hearty and delicious meal.
- Add Meatballs to Slow Cooker: Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray then place the frozen meatballs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Butter and Flour Mixture: For the sauce, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk to create a paste.
- Add Liquids: Slowly stir in beef broth and heavy cream.
- Mix in Spices and Seasonings: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, allspice, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour Into Slow Cooker: Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
- Cook: Cover and cook the meatballs for 2 hours on high, or low for 4 to 5 hours.
- Serve: Garnish the Swedish meatballs with parsley, and serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Keep Your Meatballs Warm
You can keep the meatballs in the pot on the warm setting until ready to serve. This slow cooker method of Swedish meatballs is super convenient for making ahead of time for dinner, parties, or potlucks.
Tips and Variations for Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Customize your slow cooker Swedish meatballs just the way you like them with these extra tips and tricks!
- Customize Sauce Thickness: Adjust the flour amount to control the thickness of the sauce. For a thicker sauce, add a bit more flour; for a lighter one, use less.
- Make it More Creamy: If you love a creamier sauce, increase the amount of heavy cream or even add a dollop of sour cream for an extra creamy finish.
- Serve With Lingonberry Sauce: If you’ve ever had the meatballs from Ikea, you’re probably familiar with this, but lingonberry jam or sauce is a traditional condiment served with this dish. It adds a little tangy sweetness that balances out the richness of Swedish meatballs.
Storing Leftovers
To save your leftover Swedish meatballs, let them cool down and pop them in a sealed container in the fridge. They’ll stay good for 3-4 days. When you’re ready to dig in again, you can warm them up in the microwave with a splash of water or toss them in a pan on the stove. Just keep stirring and heating until they’re nice and hot. Enjoy your tasty leftovers, but remember to gobble them up within a few days!
Serve Your Swedish Meatballs With These Dishes:
I like to serve slow cooker Swedish Meatballs with homemade mashed potatoes or wide egg noodle pasta. Trust me, you’re going to want to pour the sauce over everything, and the recipe makes a generous amount! Once you make this once, it will be on the weekly dinner menu. Good thing it’s so easy to whip up!
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Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
- 26 ounces frozen meatballs, precooked
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- dash allspice
- dash nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- noodles for serving
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray then place the frozen meatballs in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- For the sauce, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk to create a paste.
- Slowly stir in beef broth and heavy cream.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, allspice, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
- Cover and cook the meatballs for 2 hours on high, or low for 4 to 5 hours.
- Garnish the Swedish meatballs with parsley, and serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What are the measurements of the ingredients???
All of the measurements are at the end of the post in the recipe card. You can also click on “jump to recipe” at the top of the page. Happy Thanksgiving! 😊
Super easy for those days you just don’t have time to cook. We served our meatballs over noodles, but will try mashed potatoes next time. The sauce flavor was great.
If someone has the old recipes ingredients, please share. I can’t locate them.
Meatballs:
* 1lb ground beef
* 1lb ground pork
* 0.5 cup heavy cream
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
* 1 yellow onion, grated
* 2 cloves garlic
* 2 tsp kosher salt
* 0.5 tsp nutmeg
* 0.25 tsp allspice
* 0.25 tsp black pepper
Gravy:
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 2 tsp kosher salt
* 6 tbsp butter
*6 tbsp AP flour
*8 cup beef broth
* 2 tsp lemon juice
* 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
Ingredients
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream divided
1 large egg
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
8 ounces lean ground pork
1/4 cup grated yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces lean ground beef 85% percent lean ground beef recommended
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoon flour
3 cups unsalted beef broth
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
In a medium-sized bowl whisk together 1/4 cup heavy cream and egg.
Add in breadcrumbs and stir to combine, set aside.
In a large bowl add pork, grated onion, garlic, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, allspice, and black pepper.
Use your hand to mix and combine the mixture until consistent in appearance, 1 minute.
Add in the breadcrumb mixture (panade) and mix with hand to combine until smooth, 1 minute.
Add in ground beef and mix with hand until combined, 45 seconds.
Roll meatball mixture into 2 tablespoon-sized balls, about 17 total.
Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, once hot, add the meatball.
Brown the meatballs for about 4 to 6 minutes. Turn heat down to medium and flip over and cook 3 minutes.
Transfer meatballs to the slow cooker, do not discard pan.
Heat pan over medium-high heat, add butter and flour, whisk to combine, cook for 30 seconds.
Gradually whisk in the beef broth, scraping and breaking up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Bring broth to a boil, whisking until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
Turn off heat and whisk in 1 ½ teaspoons salt, add sauce to slow cooker.
Cover and cook meatballs for 2 hours on “High”, or “Low” for 4 to 5 hours.
Stir in ½ cup heavy cream and lemon juice.
Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper as desired.
Garnish Swedish meatballs with parsley, and serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
This was really tasty and fairly simple to prepare. I’m not sure if it was the Great Value meatballs or the fat from butter and cream, but there was a lot of grease separating out of the sauce even after lots of stirring to combine it back together after cooking on low as directed. Cooked a bag of egg noodles and tossed them into the crock pot and it was a perfect Friday night dinner!
I have the ingredients saved on an app, but I am sad to see the instructions (when click on the link) are no longer available. Please re-share the old recipe for us to enjoy again. This was a family favorite, even for my picky eater! I will be winging it until then and considering going “old school” with recipes if this happens.
I made this dish yesterday and it was FANTASTIC! The only change I made was to use about 2 pounds of meatballs (Swedish meatballs, no less!) since that’s what I had left in the freezer 😀 Definitely 5 stars – thank you !!
Oh no!! The old recipe is gone?!?!? Any chance you can post the old recipe with the homemade meatballs here? A family favorite!!! Puhleeeeese!!!!! 🤞💗🫶🙏
I agree! my family loves them and I can’t find the old recipe!
Did you change this recipe? If so, WHY? It was our favorite! 😞 Can I get the original with the homemade meatballs? And not the one below with the marinara. Not the same…