Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs (+Video)
Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs is an easy recipe made with frozen meatballs, sour cream, steak sauce, cream of mushroom and seasonings.
A SIMPLE, FLAVORFUL SWEDISH MEATBALL RECIPE
After I shared the Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe a couple of weeks ago, I got a bunch of emails from folks asking for more recipes like that one. It really is the simple things, isn’t it? Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs is now one one of the most popular recipes on The Country Cook. Also, if this recipe tempts your tastebuds, you’re definitely gonna want to make my Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
I usually serve these meatballs with egg noodles. If I am making a full-on dinner, I’d serve it with some steamed green beans and my Butter Swim Biscuits. And for dessert you gotta have my Easy Homemade Blueberry Cobbler.
Yes. Just make sure you have a large enough slow cooker to fit the doubled ingredients. If I’m serving for a crowd, I will mix together cooked egg noodles with the meatballs and keep my crock pot on the ‘warm’ or ‘buffet’ setting. But when it’s just my family, everyone can serve themselves and grab as many meatballs and sauce as they like.
No. The internet foodie world is quick to remind me of that fact since the day I posted this recipe but I’m never changing it – so there. Yes, I do know “real Swedish Meatballs are made from scratch with nutmeg” – etc. Move along – this recipe clearly isn’t for you.
Absolutely. If you have your own favorite Swedish meatball recipe then go for it. However, I would cook them almost completely before adding to the slow cooker or else the gravy in this will end up too oily from the grease that the meatballs release when cooking (unless you plan to use turkey instead of ground beef or a super lean ground beef.) You will probably just have to adjust cooking time to make sure your meatballs are cooked all the way through.
Just use your favorite frozen meatball brand here. It doesn’t have to specifically be a Swedish-style meatball. They aren’t always easy to find but I’ve made this recipe with many different kinds of frozen meatballs and it all works great just don’t use Italian meatballs. Those flavors won’t work with these flavors. Try to look for a “Homestyle” meatball flavor.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator (in an airtight lidded container) for up to 3 days. Just put it in a pot on the stove to reheat or in the microwave.
This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool then put in a freezer safe container. If you do freeze, try to reheat slowly so the gravy doesn’t separate. I don’t think I would try freezing with the noodles if you made those and mixed it all together. The noodles will continue to absorb any liquid and get mushy.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- cream of mushroom soup – my family don’t really like mushrooms but you do not get any kind of mushroom flavor or from this and we all love it. Honestly, no one knows that it was used except me. However, having said that, you can substitute with other cream soups but you really should try it this way. Or perhaps try making a Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup!
- beef broth – I recommend a low or no sodium broth because most of the other ingredients have plenty of salt in them. If you have sodium issues, make sure to choose low or no sodium options where possible.
- dry onion soup mix (or make your own Homemade Dry Onion Soup mix) – this is going to add a lot of flavor but won’t make it taste super “onion-y”. If you want a stronger onion flavor, try sautéing up some sliced onions then add them to the pot.
- A1 steak sauce – this is my little secret ingredient. I think that is what really sets this recipe apart from others. It is not a strong overwhelming flavor. It just adds that background flavor that has everyone wondering what is added to this dish that they can’t quite put their finger on. You could substitute with a dash of Worcestershire sauce as well. Or if you just can’t possible stand the idea, just leave it out (but you’re really missing out on good stuff!)
- frozen meatballs – I talk more in detail about these above in the FAQ section (Frequently Asked Questions).
- sour cream – this is going to give you that delicious creaminess. You could substitute with plain Greek yogurt or a little bit of heavy cream. If you don’t like it creamy, just leave it out.
- egg noodles – this is just for serving. You serve it however you like! Mashed potatoes are yummy too!
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT SWEDISH MEATBALLS:
In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup with beef broth, onion soup mix and steak sauce. Stir well.
Then add in frozen meatballs.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-5 hours.
When meatballs are ready, stir in sour cream.
At this time, put a pot of water on the oven to boil for your egg noodles (make according to package directions.) Drain noodles well when done.
Mix noodles and meatballs together.
Or serve meatballs on top of noodles
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: May 2015
Updated & republished: April 2019
Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs (+Video)
Ingredients
- 10.75 ounce can cream of mushroom soup (low sodium)
- 14 ounce can beef broth (low sodium)
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- 2 Tablespoons A1 steak sauce
- 2 pound bag frozen meatballs
- 16 ounce package egg noodles
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, mix 10.75 ounce can cream of mushroom soup (low sodium) with 14 ounce can beef broth (low sodium), 1 packet dry onion soup mix and 2 Tablespoons A1 steak sauce. Whisk together well.
- Then add in 2 pound bag frozen meatballs and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-5 hours.
- Just before meatballs are done, put a pot of water on the oven to boil for your 16 ounce package egg noodles (make according to package directions.) Drain noodles well when done.
- After meatballs have finished cooking, stir in 1 cup sour cream.
- Mix noodles and meatballs together or serve meatballs on top of noodles.
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.
- You can store leftovers in the refrigerator (in an airtight lidded container) for up to 3 days. Just put it in a pot on the stove to reheat or in the microwave.
- This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool then put in a freezer safe container. If you do freeze, try to reheat slowly so the gravy doesn’t separate. I don’t think I would try freezing with the noodles if you made those and mixed it all together. The noodles will continue to absorb any liquid and get mushy.
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.
Was delicious full of flavor and easy. This recipe is all time favorite I did exactly what directions said and was perfect
Easy and delicious! Have made this several times.
If I make this recipe today and refrigerate overnight for party tomorrow, The sour cream won’t break when warmed up, correct? Thank you.
If you use homemade meatballs, should you cook and freeze them first?
Any chance there’s an instant pot conversion for this recipe?
Not yet Leann but I am working on it!
Looking forward to it, Brandie.
Excellent tasting and so easy.
Thank you so much Karen!!
We have been making this for months and it’s both easy and delicious. Everyone in my family hates mushrooms so we use cream of chicken and it works perfectly. I just wanted to add a tip for anyone having clumped up sour cream/greek yogurt. I have found it gives a great, creamy texture if you temper it first. I put the sour cream in a bowl and slowly add sauce from the crockpot to the bowl of sour cream mixing it in as I go. Once it brings the sour cream up to a warmer temp I add it all in to crockpot, mix it up and it works great.
Thank you so much Stacie and thank you very much for your tips and feedback. It’s so helpful!
Thank you, I probably wouldn’t have thought of that with the crockpot. I do that with anything on the stovetop, shut the heat off, put in a little and get it warmed up.
Thanks for posting your suggestion!
Is there anything you can substitute for the steak sauce? My family doesn’t like it.
Hi Cindy, you don’t taste it as a separate ingredient. It just adds to the overall flavor profile.
Wondering if could double qty & cook in crockpot – would want to put noodles in with everything like I do with chicken noodle dishes?
So good! Will make again!
Thank you so much Rebecca! I appreciate you taking the time to come back and comment!! 🙂
Can you freeze the leftover meatballs & sauce? There’s only one of me and that would be to much for me to eat.
Thank you,
Judie
Hi Judie! I don’t see why not! Just make sure you pack it well in a freezer-safe bag. 🙂
Could i use fresh meatballs instead of frozen one on the crockpot.
Could I make this recipe on the stove top instead of in the crock
Pot? Planning a meal for tomorrow but realized I don’t have enough frozen meatballs on hand to put it in the crock pot in the morning.
Hi Kayla, I don’t see why not. The main goal is getting those meatballs warmed up all the way through. And don’t cook it too fast. 🙂
Five stars for sure. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks so much Jay!!
I’ve made this three times since finding this recipe 2 months ago. It is that good. Yum!
Woo hoo!! That’s so awesome – thank you Rebecca!!
I’m sorry if this is a stupid question, but what is the difference between frozen swedish meatballs and frozen homestyle meatballs? And will it taste the same if I use the frozen bag of homestyle meatballs? TIA!
Made this last night and it was delicious. I love easy recipes!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! We love these meatballs and make them quite often. Have you ever made them in an Instant Pot mixed with egg noodles? I want to give it a try to save some time but not sure how it would turn out.
I tend to read through all the comments when I am getting a new recipe and found this in an earlier comment. I hope it helps.
Tiff says
November 27, 2017 at 12:09 am
Yummy satisfying meal! I’ve had this pinned on my “Meatball” board for a while now. When I pulled it up late in the afternoon and still had to go shopping; I realized I didn’t have enough time to “Slow Cook”. So what do I always do……. Put it in the electric Pressure Cooker. Assembled as directed in the Pressure Cooker, except I substituted the Onion Soup mix with the Garlic with Herb version. Cooked on High pressure for 10 mins. and then let it Natural Release for 7 mins. before manually letting off the remaining pressure. At that point I turned the cooker to Med. with lid off and mixed in canned mushrooms until heated. Finally I allowed mixture to stop simmering before stirring in Sour Cream.
Delicious and simple enough my boyfriend could make it!
Ha! I love hearing that Allie. Thank you!!! 🙂
This was an easy and delicious dinner for our busy family. I used a bag of frozen meatballs from IKEA and plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. Thank you for sharing!
My family and I love this recipe. We are a BIG family so I usually do a 3 lb bag of meatballs and double the sauce stuff. Sooooo goooooood.
Hi Katie! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave feedback. It makes my day!! So happy y’all loved this one. It’s one of my personal favorites too!! 🙂
Katie,
When you double the sauce and add an extra pound of meatballs, how much longer does it take to cook your meatballs? I’m asking because I’d like to use this recipe for a family reunion and we might have up to 18 people to feed. We could possibly cook two crockpots of this.
Thank you!
How big of a container of sour cream do you add?
OMG the recipe says 1 cup of sour cream.
These were so delicious!! Has anyone used turkey meatballs instead of regular ones? We have a vegetarian coming for dinner and want to make this again with turkey meatballs. But need to know if they’re good.
If they are vegetarian, turkey meatballs will not work as that is still made from an animal
I have made (and shared!) this recipe many times. It’s easy, and it’s delicious!! So glad you reposted this again. Thanks!
Hi Trish! Thanks so much! I really appreciate it!!
Great taste, so easy! Husband and I absolutely loved it!
Can you substitute any thing else for the cream of mushroom soup. No one likes it in my house.
Okay, Thanks for replying to me. I really appreciate it. I get most of my recipes that I can never find off here and I can’t even get one reply. Not the first, wont be asking a question again.
Hey Dawn! So sorry. I am only one person (not a corporation.) The time when you last commented I was getting emergency surgery on my esophagus which put me down and out for a few weeks. Yes, you can use cream of chicken, cream of potato or even cream of bacon. You don’t taste the mushrooms as a separate ingredient in this recipe though.
You’re a nut job. The world doesn’t revolve around you, lady.
Apologies if someone has already asked this but do you think I could substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream?
Hey Nikki! I don’t see why not. If you try it – please let us know how it turns out for you! 🙂
I substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream in everything now. Nobody has every figured it out, lol! I really like Fage, it’s so thick and creamy. (No, I don’t work or get paid by them ????)
Ha! Definitely use a very thick plain yogurt. 🙂
I always sub plain Greek yogurt for sour cream, been doing it for years. I use Fage 0% fat. Fage is so thick and creamy, my family has never noticed the difference! I haven’t made this recipe yet, it’s on my list as soon as I can make some meatballs. (I make turkey meatballs) I started cooking healthy after my husband had a quad bypass, and the substitutes like Greek yogurt and ground turkey I’ll keep doing, the taste is great, and the health benefits are great.