Slow Cooker Meatballs and Gravy

By
Kathy Kingsley
Kathy Kingsley
Kathy Kingsley
A former bakery owner, Kathy Kingsley is a food writer, recipe developer, editor, and author of seven cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/6/21
Meatballs in gravy
Brian Leatart/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 4 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

You can't go wrong with these tasty meatballs. They are delicious served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, or another great way to enjoy them is as sliders. Best of all, you can make the meatballs ahead, then just pop them into the slow-cooker with the gravy in the morning for a super-easy meal for one of those busy weeknights. Nothing is better than walking into the house to the smell of dinner simmering away. Plus, this recipe makes great party fare—just double the recipe and make the meatballs slightly smaller.

Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 3/4 pound lean ground beef

  • 1/2 pound ground pork

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onions

  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Gravy:

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Steps to Make It

  1. Make the Meatballs: Put the ground beef and pork into a medium bowl. Add the onions, bread crumbs, parsley, egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix until well blended.

  2. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs, in batches, until browned all over. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a 4-quart slow-cooker. Reserve the drippings in the pan. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, Make the Sauce: Add the flour, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper to the same skillet used for cooking meatballs. Stir in the chicken broth until well blended. Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

  4. To serve, stir the sour cream into the meatball sauce, cover and heat through. Serve the meatballs with the gravy over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Tip

  • When forming the meatballs, dampen your hand with water, which will help prevent the meat mixture from sticking to your hands and make rolling the meatballs easier.

Recipe Variation

  • To add more texture to the meatballs, use homemade breadcrumbs. You can make them quickly and easily in a food processor. You'll get the best results if your bread is slightly stale. If it isn't stale, put the slices of bread in a 300 F oven until slightly crusty. Rip the slices into pieces and fill your processor about halfway full and pulse on/off until you get the size crumb you like.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
303 Calories
16g Fat
15g Carbs
24g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 303
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 6g 31%
Cholesterol 97mg 32%
Sodium 346mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 81mg 6%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 482mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)