Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs
Tender, homemade Swedish meatballs in a rich, creamy gravy, made almost entirely in the crockpot. A complete meal over mashed potatoes or egg noodles that the whole family will love.
Servings 7 servings (about 6 meabtalls each)
Calories 471kcal
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup grated onion with juices
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or dried parsley, plus more for garnish
Gravy
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, allspice, Dijon mustard, and parsley. Mix until just combined. Don't overwork it.
- Using a 1.5-inch cookie scoop, portion out the meatballs and place them on a baking sheet.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs for 1-2 minutes per side. You're not cooking them through, just building a crust so they hold their shape in the slow cooker.
- Transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker.
- Whisk together the melted butter, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Pour over the meatballs, cover, and slow cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
- About 15 minutes before serving, remove the meatballs from the slow cooker temporarily. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the gravy, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth and starting to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Gently return the meatballs to the sauce. Switch the slow cooker to warm and let the sauce thicken uncovered for the last 10-15 minutes.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles with extra parsley on top.
Notes
When browning, you're building a crust, not cooking all the way through. This keeps the meatballs from falling apart later and makes them extra juicy inside.
Short on time? Skip the browning step, but handle the meatballs gently going into the crockpot. A bag of frozen, fully cooked meatballs also works as a shortcut, just add extra cook time since they start cold.
This recipe makes a big batch, about 42-44 meatballs. It's a great one for meal prep, freeze half after cooking and cooling for an easy dinner later.
Add the cornstarch slurry to the gravy first and make sure it's fully combined before adding the sour cream. This keeps the gravy smooth and gives you a thicker sauce.
Nutmeg and allspice are traditional here. Adjust up or down depending on how warm you want the spice flavor.
Mixing beef and pork gives the best flavor and texture, but feel free to use just one, or swap in ground chicken or turkey.
Got an Instant Pot instead of a slow cooker? No need to dirty a skillet, just brown the meatballs right in the pot using the sauté function, then pour in the gravy mixture and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes with a quick release. From there, switch back to sauté and whisk in your cornstarch slurry and sour cream the same way, right in the pot, until the gravy thickens.
Nutrition
Serving: 6meatballs | Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 1176mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 3mg