Crock Pot Mississippi Meatballs
These easy Crock Pot Mississippi Meatballs are a version of all the other ‘Mississippi” recipes. They have so much flavor and can be prepped in minutes! Great for dinner or an appetizer!
FLAVORFUL MEATBALLS WITH A CLASSIC FLAVOR
I’ve been having a lot of fun experimenting with the flavors from that first “Mississippi” recipe – Crock Pot Mississippi Pot Roast. So, I thought why not try it with meatballs? They turned out so, so good! If you like making any of my other crock pot Mississippi dishes like Mississippi Pork Chops, Mississippi Country Style Ribs, Mississippi Turkey Breast, Mississippi Chicken, or Mississippi Pork Roast (and more!) then you’ll love these flavorful meatballs! Crock Pot Mississippi Meatballs are a delicious and easy dinner or appetizer option that the whole family will love. This flavorful dish is made with just a few simple ingredients and cooked in the slow cooker for an effortless meal.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Yes, the same flavor, but a slightly different cooking approach. The only difference with this one is we’re not sprinkling the packets of ranch or au jus straight on top of the meatballs like you do with the other similar recipes.
We mix the gravy and ranch dressing with some water so the meatballs have something to simmer and cook in and soak up the flavor. With other Mississippi recipes, the meat will release fat and the meat will cook in that, in this case we’re using frozen meatballs and they won’t release any fat for these to simmer in.
No. They may end up burning.
These meatballs are just as extremely flavorful as all of the other Mississippi recipes! You really need to serve it with the buttery sauce on the bottom, amazing over mashed potatoes or egg noodles or rice! Or you can serve them as-is as an appetizer. Also, you can use any kind of meatballs. Ground chicken, turkey, beef, pork, will all work. Just don’t use a flavored meatball, like Italian.
Yes, but I would suggest using a lean meat so you don’t end up with a lot of grease in with the sauce. You’ll also have to adjust the cooking time (I cannot suggest a cooking time for you since I have not tested this with homemade meatballs – you’ll have to play it by ear.)
After making so many versions of this recipe, the main question I always get is folks thinking these Mississippi recipes are going to be spicy because of the peperoncinis. I personally don’t think it ends up spicy, it just adds flavor. However, I know some folks are extremely sensitive to any spice at all. If that is the case, I would suggest you don’t add the peperoncini juice, just add a bit more water. Also, use less of the peperoncini – try to use at least 4 though as this does give that signature “Mississippi” flavor.
I used the Walmart Great Value homestyle meatballs since I thought they’d work best with this flavor profile. However, if you have other frozen meatballs that you want to give a try, feel free to do so (just not an Italian flavor.)
Leftover meatballs should be stored in an airtight container and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can freeze these for up to 3 months.
To reheat, I would put it in a baking dish, skillet, or slow cooker with a splash or two of water or beef stock.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- frozen meatballs – These do not need to be thawed first. I know there are different sized bags of meatballs depending on the brand. Just try to get close to the 32 ounce sized bag even if it is a little more or a little less. You would not have to adjust the recipe unless you had a really huge bag of meatballs. I have only tested this with a 32 ounce bag though so I cannot suggest adjustments.
- au jus gravy mix – if you are sensitive to salt or need lower sodium options, I would suggest using low or no sodium mixes. some folks like to make the Mississippi Pot Roast with brown gravy or onion soup mix. I think it’s personal preference. You can even make a Homemade Onion Soup Mix if you want to make it to your tastes.
- ranch dressing mix – You can make your own homemade version if you prefer. See my Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix recipe.
- peperoncini juice – this is the liquid that is in the jar of the peperonicini peppers. If you don’t want that extra kick of tang and spice, just skip it and use beef broth instead.
- unsalted butter – You’ll need to slice the butter. Make sure that it’s unsalted because the au jus gravy packet and the ranch dressing packet already have salt in them.
- pepperoncini peppers – see my ingredient image below if you need to see what the jar looks like. You can usually find them near the pickles in your grocery store.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT MISSISSIPPI MEATBALLS
Place the meatballs into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Mix together the au jus gravy mix, ranch dressing mix, water, and pepperoncini juice until combined. Pour on top of the meatballs and stir so they are coated. Place the slices of butter on top scattered. Then place the peppers on top.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, try and stir them every 30 minutes or so, so they don’t burn. Serve immediately with the drippings as a gravy over the meatballs.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Recipe inspiration: @this_is_shannon
Crock Pot Mississippi Meatballs (+Video)
Ingredients
- 32 ounce bag frozen meatballs (I used Johnsonville homestyle)
- 1 ounce packet au jus gravy mix (see notes below)
- 1 ounce packet ranch dressing mix (see notes below)
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup peperoncini juice (or beef broth, see my notes below)
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced
- 8 pepperoncini peppers
Instructions
- Place 32 ounce bag frozen meatballs into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Mix together 1 ounce packet au jus gravy mix, 1 ounce packet ranch dressing mix, 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup peperoncini juice until combined. Pour on top of the meatballs and stir so they are coated.
- Place 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced on top, scattered.
- Add 8 pepperoncini peppers (just scatter them around).
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, try and stir them every 30 minutes or so, so they don’t burn. Serve immediately with the drippings as a gravy over the meatballs.
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- If you cannot tolerate any spice whatsoever, do not add the peperoncini juice and only use 4 peperoncinsi on top. You do need some peperoncinis to give these that signature “Mississippi” flavor. The juice adds a bit of tang too. Just substitute with beef broth (same amount) for the juice.
- if you are sensitive to salt or need lower sodium options, I would suggest using low or no sodium mixes.
- Peperoncini juice refers to the liquid from the jar of the peperoncini peppers.
- This should only be cooked on low and not on high, as the meatballs may burn.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
These were SO good! Will definitely be making these often. Thank you
We loved this! The only thing is we barely had any gravy. How can we get more gravy?
You can purchase another packet of the au jus gravy mix and add a bit more water
can you cut this in half
I don’t see why not – just make sure you are adjusting the size of your slow cooker too because you don’t want them to burn.
I made this tonight. Sooo good.
Easy and delicious! Thanks for the recipe 🙂