Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

These easy crockpot Swedish meatballs are the ultimate comfort food that your family will love for dinner! Homemade meatballs are slowly cooked in a rich, creamy, homemade sauce to create this hearty and delicious meal.

close up overhead shot of a crockpot full of meatballs garnished with parsley

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs Ingredients

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs raw ingredients that are labeled

With juicy, seasoned meatballs coated in creamy gravy, this classic Swedish dish has a unique blend of flavors that will leave you begging for more.

What’s more, cooking it in a crockpot allows the flavors to meld together over time, resulting in a recipe that is both easy and incredibly delicious.

You’ll need:

For The Meatballs:

1 pound of ground pork
1 pound of lean ground beef
½ cup of finely diced sweet yellow onion
½ cup of plain panko bread crumbs
½ cup of heavy cream
1 large egg
1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
¼ teaspoon of ground allspice
¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon of extra virgin oil

For The Sauce:

3 tablespoons of salted sweet cream butter
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 cups of beef broth
1½ tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper
1¼ cups of heavy cream
1 cup of sour cream
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley (optional garnish)

PRO TIP:

The combination of lean ground beef and pork will give you a softer meatball.

Substitutions And Additions

BREAD CRUMBS: You can substitute plain bread crumbs for panko bread crumbs, but it will produce a heavier meatball.

How To Make This Crockpot Swedish Meatballs Recipe

The first step in making this hearty dish is to make the meatballs by combining the listed ingredients with the raw meat and forming them into meatballs.

Brown the meatballs on the stovetop before popping them in the slow cooker to allow it to do the rest of the work.

STEP ONE: Using a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, heavy cream, egg, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

If you choose to use your hands to mix the meatball ingredients, I strongly recommend wearing gloves. I also strongly recommend wearing gloves when shaping the raw meatballs.

STEP TWO: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside.

STEP THREE: Using a 1½ tablespoon scoop, scoop out the meat mixture and roll it into a ball. Repeat until all the meat mixture is shaped.

meatball mixture rolled into balls then scooped on a parchment lined baking sheet

STEP FOUR: Using a 12-inch large skillet, over medium-high heat on the stovetop, add the extra virgin olive oil.

STEP FIVE: Brown the meatballs on both sides, then line the browned meatballs in the bottom of a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker. A few of the meatballs may have to sit on top of the others in a second layer.

PRO TIP:

You can skip browning the meatballs, simply add an extra 30 minutes to the slow cooker time.

STEP SIX: Keeping the skillet on medium-high heat, add the butter.

STEP SEVEN: Whisk the butter and leftover olive oil. Be sure to scrape up the tasty brown bits left in the pan.

STEP EIGHT: Whisk the flour into the oil/butter. Continue to whisk and cook the flour for 1 minute.

STEP NINE: Whisk in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and cracked pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

STEP TEN: Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cook on high for 3 hours.

STEP ELEVEN: Keep the slow cooker temperature on high. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the meatballs from the slow cooker.

STEP TWELVE: Whisk in the heavy cream and sour cream. Replace the lid on the slow cooker and cook the sauce for an additional 30 minutes.

STEP THIRTEEN: Turn the cooker off and add the meatballs back into the sauce. Evenly sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley. Serve while hot.

How To Serve Homemade Crockpot Meatballs

Serve the delicious meatballs over cooked egg noodles, creamy mashed potatoes, or rice, along with green beans or sauteed vegetables on the side.

Add dinner rolls or our crusty Dutch oven bread to mop up all of the tasty gravy from your plate.

Want more meal inspiration? We love this great recipe for crockpot chili, and our classic hamburger casserole is always a hit.

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Storing Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

Make a large batch of the raw meatballs ahead of time and keep them in the freezer. Just take out what you need for your meal, brown them, and heat them in the slow cooker.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of this Swedish meatball recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the uncooked meatballs for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. Allow the meatballs to thaw, then brown and cook as instructed above.

close up shot of a plate of meatballs garnished with parsley and served over egg noodled

This easy crockpot Swedish meatballs recipe is a great way to enjoy traditional Swedish meatballs on busy weeknights. You can do all the prep ahead of time and let the slow cooker do the work. You’ll have a delicious meal simmered during the day in a rich cream sauce that is ready when you are.

Tender meatballs in a creamy, savory sauce that clings to every bite, with more crockpot recipes that bring the same cozy finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are Swedish meatballs different from Italian meatballs?

Italian meatballs are typically served in a bright tomato or marinara sauce. Swedish meatballs are cooked in a rich, creamy sauce that usually involves heavy cream, sour cream, and beef broth.

Can I make the meatballs ahead of time?

This slow cooker recipe allows you to prepare the uncooked meatballs and freeze them. Thaw and add to the slow cooker when you are ready to enjoy this meal.

Can I use different ground meat in this recipe?

We love the combination of ground beef and pork, but if you prefer to include ground turkey or chicken, you can certainly make that substitution.

More Meatball Recipes You’ll Love

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

5 from 3 votes

A simple, flavorful recipe, this crockpot Swedish meatballs dish combines meatballs with a creamy, rich sauce served over egg noodles.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings

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Ingredients

10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons steak sauce (A1 brand used)
1 ounce onion soup mix (one packet from a 2-ounce box of Lipton’s brand)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
28 ounces frozen homestyle meatballs (½-ounce sized meatballs)
¾ cup sour cream

Instructions

Add the cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, steak sauce, onion soup mix, and Dijon mustard to the insert of a 4-6 quart crockpot slow cooker. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
Add the frozen meatballs to the crockpot and gently stir to coat all the meatballs in the sauce. Be sure to press the meatballs into the sauce so they are fully submerged before cooking.
Set the crockpot to LOW for 8 hours. Do not open the lid during this time.
Once the meatballs have cooked, gently stir the sauce. Remove ¼ cup of the sauce and stir it into the sour cream. This helps to temper the cold dairy so that it does not curdle when added to the hot sauce inside the crockpot.
Turn off the heat to the crockpot, add the tempered sour cream and gently stir to incorporate all the sour cream with the sauce and meatballs until the sauce is a uniform consistency. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Serve while hot.

Notes

Frozen meatballs will come in packages ranging from 24 to 32-ounces (depending on the brand). This is fine, as this is a very forgiving recipe and the sauce will be plenty for this range of bag sizes.
The onion soup mix adds plenty of salt to the sauce, so no additional salt was added to the recipe. After the meatballs and sauce have cooked, you can season to taste if desired with salt and black pepper.