Description

This Crockpot Meatballs and Gravy recipe offers a comforting, hearty, and flavorful meal perfect for busy weeknights. Tender homemade beef meatballs simmer slowly in a rich mushroom and onion gravy enhanced with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of cream. Easily prepared with simple ingredients and made using a slow cooker, this dish pairs beautifully with egg noodles and is sure to satisfy the whole family.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef
2 large eggs
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Gravy

3 cups beef broth
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup onions, diced
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined. Form mixture into 24-30 equal-sized meatballs. If using frozen meatballs, skip this step and the next.
Brown Meatballs: Heat a small amount of olive oil in a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the formed meatballs and brown them on all sides without cooking through completely. This helps to seal in juices and develop flavor.
Transfer to Slow Cooker & Sauté Vegetables: Place the browned meatballs into the slow cooker, leaving any pan juices behind. In the same skillet, add butter, then sauté sliced mushrooms and diced onions until onions turn translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute to release flavors.
Add Broth and Sauce: Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into the skillet. Use a wooden spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, incorporate these flavorful bits into the mixture, then transfer everything into the slow cooker over the meatballs.
Slow Cook: Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, allowing flavors to meld and meatballs to finish cooking thoroughly.
Prepare Thickening Mixture: About 20 minutes before the cooking time is over, whisk together cornstarch and heavy whipping cream until smooth.
Thicken Gravy: Remove the slow cooker lid. Ladle some hot broth into the cornstarch and cream mixture gradually, whisking to temper it. Pour this back into the slow cooker and gently stir, taking care not to break apart the meatballs. Cover and continue to cook until gravy thickens.
Serve: Boil egg noodles or your choice of side on the stove while gravy thickens. Serve the meatballs and gravy over the noodles, garnished with chopped parsley for a fresh finish.

Notes

For convenience, you can use store-bought frozen meatballs, but browning fresh meatballs adds extra flavor.
If you prefer a thicker gravy, adjust the cornstarch quantity accordingly or cook a bit longer uncovered to reduce.
Substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or milk for a lighter option, though the gravy will be less rich.
Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice for a complete meal.
For a dairy-free version, omit the cream and use a cornstarch slurry with broth only.
Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and freeze nicely for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4-8 hours (slow cooker)
Category: Main Course
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup meatballs with gravy (approx. 4 meatballs)
Calories: 380 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 680 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
Trans Fat: 0.4 g
Carbohydrates: 17 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 28 g
Cholesterol: 115 mg

Keywords: crockpot meatballs, slow cooker meatballs and gravy, easy meatball recipe, beef meatballs, make ahead dinner, comfort food