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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.
Made these today & they were soooooo good! I had homemade beef stock which I think brought them up a notch, and I used plain yogurt instead of cream. I wi make these again for sure!
The recipe still references baking powder in the method.
This recipe looks awesome! I need to make them the night before because they’re for a staff luncheon at work. Any tips on how I can make sure they still taste good tomorrow or on how to reheat? Can’t wait to make!
This looks and sounds delicious; however, would it be possible to make them with beef and turkey instead of beef and pork for friends and family who do not consume pork?
Yes, that will work too.
I made these for my family and doubled the recipe. Everything tasted great but the texture of the meatballs was off. Any advice? I slow cooked it on low for four hours and did everything else as described.
I made the meatballs and we all loved them.
Recipe great. Pop-up adds and looping commercial videos not so great, be nice not to share recipe and kitchen with Capital One.
I am currently making the meatballs. (Step 3 in the directions mentions using baking powder).
If I’m preparing these ahead of time, would you fry the meatballs, refrigerate, then slow cook the next morning? or would you complete the whole recipe and then just reheat for the party?
Either of those options will be great! Let me know which one is easiest for you.
Could these be frozen
Yes, I like to freeze my meatballs by adding them to a sheet pan and freezing them for 2 to 3 hours. Once they are frozen I put them in a ziplock bag or airtight container to freeze for up to 1 month.
Meatballs and sauce are delish!!! Only thing keeping it at 4 stars is because I wanted more sauce!
I will be making these meatballs as an appetizer but wonder if the cream sauce will separate if left in the slow cooker?
It shouldn’t separate as long as it does not get too hot and boil. Enjoy your meatballs!
We really enjoyed this recipe. I didn’t add any baking powder but assumed you ment the flour so I added it in with the meat balls, came out ok though!
Hi, I made your swedish meatballs recipe and it was delicious. I am making them again but this time for a bigger crowd. Can you tell me how many servings your recipe makes?
This will make about 6 to 8 servings depending on how many each person has. That would be ab out 2 to 3 meatballs each. Hope that helps! Your friends will be thanking you for these ;)! Enjoy!
This was delicious! Everyone enjoyed it- including my picky toddler. I also love that it only took 4 hours on low in the slow cooker vs the usual 8 for most recipes. Thanks!
I like the Slow cooker Swedish meatball recipe above. Confused because on step 3 it says to add baking powder. I didn’t find baking powder or an amount in the ingredients list. Could you please advise.
Many thanks,
Laddie Toney
Thank you for letting me know! There is no baking powder. I have updated the recipe.XOXO
Hello and Happy Holidays!! We are hosting for the first year and so excited to try this recipe. Salted or unsalted butter, though? I literally screwed up my favorite creamed corn recipy by doing the salted. Help!!!
I prefer unsalted butter. This is a preference though. Either one would work great! Hope that helps! XOXO