Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

Name: Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 255 min
Total time: 295 min
Ingredients: 2 slices soft white bread; 1/4 cup water or milk; 1 lb ground beef ((more fat, means juicier meatballs but higher calories)); 1 lb ground pork ((more fat, means juicier meatballs but higher calories)); 1/2 onion (grated or finely chopped); 2 large eggs; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 1/4 cups low sodium beef broth; 1/2 cup half and half; 2 tablespoons corn starch; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon thyme; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 pinch nutmeg

written by Ashley Fehr

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4.42 from 17 votes

Prep Time 40 mins

Total Time 4 hrs 55 mins

Servings 8 servings

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Published on November 5, 2019 / Last updated on February 10, 2021

These Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs are perfect for busy weeknights or an elegant holiday dinner! Made with homemade meatballs, beef broth, cream and perfectly seasoned, the slow cooker does all the work!

easy swedish meatballs overhead on grey plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus

November is here and we are officially well into comfort food season (if we weren’t already a month or two ago!).

Meatballs are one of my favorite comfort foods, and I love how many ways there are to do them up! We’ve been loving these Sweet and Sour Crockpot Meatballs and Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs for a long time now.

These Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs are one of my favorite new recipes for a few reasons:

The slow cooker makes weeknight dinners manageable during this crazy season! And Reynolds Kitchens Slow Cooker Liners make clean up pretty much non-existent — done in 8 seconds or less!
They’re saucy — like my toddler, I’m all about the sauces, the dips and the garnishes. I like my meat smothered in something creamy and delicious, and this Swedish meatball sauce definitely does the trick!
They’ll do double duty: need an easy meal to throw in on a busy night? Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs! Need a potluck offering for a holiday dinner? Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs! Need something elegant to serve guests that won’t make you lose your mind? Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs!

crockpot swedish meatballs overhead with slow cooker liner on white background

So go grab your slow cooker, your Reynolds Kitchens Slow Cooker Liner, and let’s get this party started 😉

How to make Swedish Meatballs:

We’re making our meatballs from scratch, but they come together quickly with just a few ingredients. I like to use a combination of lean ground beef and pork (and I do this often when I make burgers as well!), but you can use all beef or even chicken or turkey if you like. When I make meatballs, I love to make a big batch, bake them off, and freeze so they’re ready to just throw in the slow cooker.
Stir together the sauce — and you can do this in about 3 seconds 😉
Throw both together in the slow cooker lined with a Reynolds Kitchens Slow Cooker Liner, and let the magic happen — clean your house, put up your feet, or sip a glass of something bubbly before your guests arrive.
Scoop and serve! There’s nothing to do before serving, which makes it easy to get your side dishes in order.

What’s in Swedish Meatball Sauce?

There are a couple of different ways to make Swedish meatball gravy, and I’m a little opinionated on the matter for one reason: I don’t like sour cream.

It’s a weird preference I have: no sour cream, no mayo, no dressings. But once I figured out how delicious Swedish meatball sauce is made with cream and no sour cream, I feel head over heels in love.

My Swedish meatball sauce is made with beef broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and parsley. It is so easy and so flavorful!

Many people swap the cream for sour cream, and you can absolutely do that if you prefer.

swedish meatballs in gravy on mashed potatoes on grey plate with white background

Can I use frozen meatballs for these Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs?

Absolutely!

If you know me, you know I’m all about taking advantage of smart shortcuts when you need them.

You can swap the homemade meatballs for frozen, store bought in these Crockpot Swedish Meatballs and no one will know, which makes this recipe even more weeknight-friendly.

Can I skip the baking and just throw the meatballs right in?

I recently tested this recipe with the raw meatballs added to the slow cooker with the sauce and cooked.

It worked fine, but the meatballs will release more of the meat juices into the sauce as they cook. This can lead to the sauce looking “fatty” or being thinner than expected.

The meatballs themselves were great and the sauce was still delicious.

Can I sear the meatballs on the stove top instead of baking?

You can absolutely sear the meatballs before adding to the slow cooker rather than bake them.

I usually bake my meatballs because, with 3 kids running around, it is easier and requires less of my attention.

To sear, simply heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of oil.

Add the meatballs in a single layer, leaving a little room in between each. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, then flip and brown the other side.

You do not want them to cook completely, as they will finish cooking in the slow cooker. Our goal is just to keep the juices inside the meatballs.

What should I serve with easy Swedish Meatballs?

I like to keep my sides simple as a blank slate to soak up all of that gravy — these Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are the perfect complement, but plain boiled egg noodles work just as well!

Add something green — a salad, some steamed broccoli, green beans or asparagus — and you’re good to go!

slow cooker swedish meatballs plated with bowl of meatballs and reynolds slow cooker liners

More slow cooker meals you’ll love:

*This post has been generously sponsored by Reynolds Kitchens and I was compensated for my time in creating this recipe. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Recipe Rebel!

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