Name: Easy Meatball Crockpot Recipes with Frozen Meatballs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 365 min
Ingredients: 1 bag (26 oz) frozen meatballs (about 30 to 35 meatballs); 2 cups reduced sodium beef broth; 1 packet brown gravy mix; 1 packet onion soup mix; 2 tablespoons ketchup; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 tablespoons cold water

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You know what I love about busy weeknights? Finding shortcuts that don’t sacrifice flavor. That’s where these meatball crockpot recipes come in. I’m talking about taking a bag of frozen meatballs and turning them into something your family will actually request again. These frozen meatballs crockpot recipes have saved me more times than I can count. We’re making slow cooker meatball recipes that taste like you spent hours in the kitchen when really, you just tossed everything in the pot this morning. The Salisbury steak crockpot twist gives you that rich, gravy-soaked goodness that reminds me of Sunday dinners at my grandmother’s house. What makes these meatball dinner recipes work so well is the hands-off approach. Toss your crockpot frozen meatballs in with some simple pantry staples, and by dinnertime you’ve got something hearty waiting for you. I picked up this technique from various sources including Julie Kitchen meatball recipes, but I’ve made it my own over the years. Serve them over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, and watch everyone go back for seconds.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs Recipe
3) Ingredients for Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs
4) How to Make Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs
5) Tips for Making Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs
6) Making Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs
8) Try these Main Dish next!
9) Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

Can you put frozen meatballs directly in a slow cooker?
How do you thicken slow cooker meatball gravy?
What’s the best way to serve Salisbury steak meatballs?
How long do meatball crockpot recipes take to cook?

2) Easy Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs Recipe

Let me tell you about my favorite weeknight lifesaver. I stumbled onto these meatball crockpot recipes a few years back when I was juggling too many things at once. You know those days when you’re running around like crazy and dinner feels like climbing Mount Everest? That’s when I discovered frozen meatballs crockpot recipes could actually save my sanity.

This recipe is ridiculously simple. We’re talking five minutes of prep time, tops. You grab a bag of frozen meatballs from your freezer, dump them in the slow cooker with some pantry staples, and walk away. No browning meat. No chopping vegetables for hours. Just pure, unadulterated convenience that doesn’t taste like a shortcut.

What really gets me about this dish is how it transforms basic ingredients into something that tastes like you’ve been slaving away all day. The gravy gets thick and rich, coating every meatball in this savory goodness that reminds me of classic comfort food. My kids literally ask for this meal by name now. When your picky eaters are requesting seconds, you know you’ve found a winner.

The best part? You can prep this in the morning before work, and come home to a house that smells absolutely incredible. Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting. No stirring required. No babysitting the stove. Just set it and forget it until dinnertime rolls around and everyone’s asking what’s for dinner.

3) Ingredients for Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Frozen Meatballs

I always keep a bag of frozen meatballs in my freezer. They’re like my secret weapon for busy nights. You’ll need about 26 ounces, which usually comes out to around 30 to 35 meatballs depending on the brand. I’ve tried different types, and honestly, they all work pretty well. Some folks swear by the Italian style ones, but I prefer the plain beef meatballs. They soak up that Salisbury steak flavor better.

Reduced Sodium Beef Broth

This forms the base of your gravy. I go with reduced sodium stuff just so I can control the salt level myself. Two cups is what you need. If you only have regular broth, that’s fine too. Just go easy on any extra salt you might want to add later. Trust me, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way after making one batch way too salty.

Brown Gravy Mix

Here’s where the magic happens. One packet of brown gravy mix turns your broth into something special. I know some people like to make gravy from scratch, and that’s great. But on a Tuesday night when you’ve got twenty things going on, a packet from the store works just fine. No shame in taking shortcuts that actually taste good.

Onion Soup Mix

This little packet adds so much flavor you wouldn’t believe it. All those dried onions and seasonings really pump up the taste without any extra work on your part. My grandma used to use this stuff in everything, and now I get why. It’s got that savory, slightly sweet thing going on that makes you want to lick the spoon.

Ketchup

Just two tablespoons, but it makes a difference. Adds a tiny bit of sweetness and helps thicken the gravy. Some people think ketchup in gravy sounds weird, but it’s actually pretty traditional for Salisbury steak. Gives it that classic flavor profile we’re going for.

Worcestershire Sauce

One tablespoon of this stuff goes a long way. It adds depth and that umami flavor that makes your taste buds do a little happy dance. I never skip this ingredient. It’s what takes the gravy from good to really, really good.

Cornstarch and Cold Water

You mix these together at the end to thicken everything up. Two tablespoons of each. The trick is using cold water so the cornstarch doesn’t clump up on you. I learned that one the hard way too. Now I always make sure my water’s actually cold before mixing.

4) How to Make Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Step 1

Open up that bag of frozen meatballs and dump them straight into your slow cooker. Seriously, don’t even think about thawing them first. That’s the beauty of this recipe. Frozen meatballs work perfectly and save you a ton of time. Spread them around a bit so they’re not all piled on top of each other, but don’t stress too much about it.

Step 2

Grab a mixing bowl and throw in your beef broth, brown gravy mix, onion soup mix, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Get yourself a whisk and mix everything together until it’s smooth. You don’t want any lumps of gravy mix floating around. This takes maybe a minute or two. I sometimes just use a fork if my whisk is dirty, and that works fine too.

Step 3

Pour that gravy mixture right over your meatballs. Use a spoon to gently stir everything around so all the meatballs get coated in the sauce. Don’t go crazy stirring, just make sure they’re all touching the liquid. They’ll sink down and get coated more as they cook.

Step 4

Put the lid on your slow cooker and set it to low heat. Now comes the hard part. Walking away and letting it do its thing. Set a timer for 5 to 6 hours and go about your day. The meatballs will get tender and soak up all those flavors. Your house is gonna smell amazing in a few hours.

Step 5

About 30 minutes before you want to eat, make your cornstarch slurry. Mix the cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl until it’s completely smooth. No lumps allowed here. This is what’s gonna thicken up your gravy and make it coat the meatballs perfectly.

Step 6

Stir that cornstarch mixture into your slow cooker. Give it a good stir to distribute it evenly. Put the lid back on and let everything cook for those last 30 minutes. The gravy will thicken up nicely and get that perfect consistency.

When your timer goes off, give everything one final stir. The gravy should be thick and glossy, coating every meatball. Now you’re ready to serve this up over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. Whatever sounds good to you.

5) Tips for Making Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Don’t open the lid too often. I know it’s tempting to peek and see how things are going, but every time you lift that lid, you lose heat. Your cooking time gets longer. Just trust the process and let the slow cooker work its magic. The only time you need to check is when you add that cornstarch slurry near the end.

If your gravy turns out thinner than you’d like, don’t panic. Just mix up a little more cornstarch and cold water, maybe a tablespoon of each. Stir it in and let it cook for another 10 or 15 minutes. On the flip side, if it gets too thick, you can thin it out with a splash of beef broth or even just water.

I like to make this on Sunday and eat the leftovers throughout the week. The flavors actually get better after sitting overnight. The meatballs soak up even more of that gravy goodness. Just reheat what you need in the microwave or on the stove. Easy lunches all week long.

Feel free to customize this recipe. Some people like adding sliced mushrooms or diced onions during the last hour of cooking. Others throw in some minced garlic with the gravy mixture at the start. I’ve even seen folks add a splash of red wine. Make it your own. That’s what cooking’s all about.

If you’re cooking for a crowd, this recipe doubles easily. Just use a bigger slow cooker or make two batches. The beauty of slow cooker meatball recipes is how hands off they are. You can make a ton of food without spending any extra time hovering over the stove.

6) Making Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs Ahead of Time

This is one of those recipes that actually works great when you prep ahead. I do this all the time when I know I’ve got a crazy day coming up. The night before, I’ll dump the frozen meatballs in my slow cooker insert. Mix up the gravy ingredients in a bowl. Cover both and stick them in the fridge.

In the morning, I just pour the gravy mixture over the meatballs, put the insert in the slow cooker base, and turn it on. Takes maybe two minutes. Then I head out the door knowing dinner’s already cooking. It’s like having a personal chef, except it’s just you being smart about meal planning.

You can make the gravy mixture even further ahead if you want. Mix it up on the weekend and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to three days. When you’re ready to cook, just shake it up, pour it over your frozen meatballs, and go. These meatball dinner recipes are all about making your life easier.

One thing I’ve learned is to not add the cornstarch slurry until right before serving. If you add it too early and then refrigerate the whole thing, the texture gets weird. Just wait until the last 30 minutes of cooking time to thicken things up. That keeps everything perfect.

If you want to prep a whole bunch of these for future meals, you can make the recipe, let it cool completely, then portion it out into containers and freeze them. They’ll keep for about three months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Instant homemade dinner with zero effort.

7) Storing Leftover Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Leftovers are actually a good thing with this recipe. Let everything cool down to room temperature first. Don’t stick hot food straight in the fridge. That’s a good way to warm up everything else in there and potentially cause food safety issues. Once it’s cooled, transfer everything to an airtight container.

These meatballs keep really well in the fridge for about four or five days. The gravy might thicken up when it’s cold, but that’s totally normal. When you reheat it, you can thin it out with a little splash of broth or water if needed. I usually just microwave individual portions for a quick lunch.

For longer storage, freeze them. Portion out what you think you’ll eat in one meal. Leave a little room at the top of your container because the liquid will expand when it freezes. I like using those meal prep containers with the divided sections. Put the meatballs and gravy in one section and your side dish in another. Instant frozen dinners that actually taste good.

When you’re ready to eat your frozen leftovers, thaw them in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Or microwave them on 50% power, stirring every minute or so until they’re hot all the way through. Don’t rush the reheating or you’ll end up with rubbery meatballs.

Pro tip from someone who’s eaten a lot of leftover meatballs. Add a fresh element when you reheat them. Maybe some chopped parsley or a squeeze of lemon juice. Or serve them with freshly made mashed potatoes instead of reheated ones. Little touches like that make leftovers feel less like leftovers and more like a brand new meal.

8) Try these Main Dish next!

9) Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs