Description
These Crockpot Swedish Meatballs offer a comforting, hands-off meal perfect for busy days. Tender frozen meatballs simmer in a flavorful broth infused with Worcestershire sauce, parsley, garlic, onion, and nutmeg, then are finished with a creamy, thickened sauce made from evaporated milk and cornstarch. The slow cooker does the work to deliver tender meatballs with a rich, velvety sauce that’s perfect over noodles or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs & Broth
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1.5 lbs frozen meatballs (Swedish-Style or Homestyle work best)
Creamy Sauce
- 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk (OR 1 1/2 cups half-and-half OR 1 cup half-and-half plus 1/2 cup sour cream)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook meatballs: Whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground nutmeg in a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Stir in the frozen meatballs, ensuring they are coated evenly with the broth mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours until the meatballs are heated through and tender.
- Thicken the sauce: In a separate measuring jug, whisk together the evaporated milk and cornstarch until smooth with no lumps. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker with the meatballs, stirring well to combine.
- Finish cooking: Increase the slow cooker to HIGH and cook with the lid removed for 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as desired. If using sour cream, stir it in after cooking is complete, just before serving.
Notes
- Frozen meatballs are convenient and cook beautifully in the slow cooker, but fresh or homemade meatballs can be used if preferred.
- You can substitute half-and-half for the evaporated milk for a richer sauce, or use a combination of half-and-half and sour cream for extra creaminess.
- Serve Swedish meatballs over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice for a complete meal.
- If the sauce is too thick after cooking, you can thin it with a splash of beef broth or milk.
- Adjust seasoning at the end of cooking to suit your taste preferences.
