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Crockpot Swedish meatballs are so easy to make and come out perfectly every time. The sauce is so creamy and flavorful, you will want to lick your plate clean!

Spoon holding a scoop of Swedish Meatballs in a crock pot.

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Swedish meatballs in the Crockpot are my absolute favorite. More so than making them on the stovetop. Why? Because the heat is consistent and just right and it makes the meatballs perfectly tender and infused with flavor. You don’t have to hover over the stove, stirring constantly. You can just throw them in the Crockpot without worry. They will just cook for hours and you don’t have to worry about them burning or getting too overcooked. They will be perfect every time.

Ingredients to make Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs including ground beef, ground pork, beef consumme, heavy cream, seasoning, onion, garlic, worchester sauce, seasonings, eggs, salt, pepper, corn starch and ground mustard.

Ingredients for Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

Beef/Pork Mixture – I like to use half pork and half ground beef when I make meatballs. This gives the meatballs the perfect taste and texture. Of course you can use the full amount of either beef or pork if you would prefer.
Onion – I like to shred the onion using a cheese grater but finely chopping the onion works fine too.
Breadcrumbs – Italian seasoned, seasoned, or plain breadcrumbs work well for this recipe. You can also used crushed crackers or croutons.
Eggs – These will help hold the meatballs together when forming the meatballs and also while cooking.
Seasoning – When it comes to seasoning my meatballs, I like to add garlic, a little nutmeg, sage, and salt and black pepper to taste.
Sauce Ingredients – Swedish meatball sauce includes beef consommé (or beef broth), heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce (or steak sauce), ground mustard, cornstarch, and salt and pepper. This sauce is so flavorful and creamy, you are going to love it!

Pouring sauce in crock pot of cooked meatballs.

How to Make Swedish Meatballs in the Crockpot

Make the meatballs – First, make the meatballs by combining the beef, pork, onion, breadcrumbs, eggs, and seasonings in a bowl until well mixed. Use a cookie scoop to get perfectly-sized meatballs and place them on a baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs – I like to bake the meatballs for about 10 minutes just to get them started and to help them hold their shape better when cooking in the Crockpot. If you put the meatballs directly into the Crockpot, they will often fall apart. The meatballs won’t be fully cooked after baking so they will have plenty of time to cook the rest of the way in the Crockpot.

Place the meatballs in the Crockpot – The meatballs can overlap because they have been semi-precooked in the oven. They won’t stick together so layer away.

Add the sauce and slow cook – Combine the sauce ingredients and pour directly over the meatballs. Slow cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. If you need to thicken the sauce you can make a slurry out of 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch and stir it into the Crockpot. You can also remove the lid and let the sauce simmer until it thickens naturally.

Serve – Serve the meatballs with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs with parsley.

Using Frozen Meatballs

If using frozen meatballs instead of fresh, this recipe is even easier. Just put the frozen meatballs directly into the Crockpot and cook for the same amount of time. Of course fresh, homemade meatballs will taste best but sometimes frozen comes in really handy when you are short on time.

Variations

Sour cream – try stirring in a spoonful or two of sour cream at the end of cooking to add to the creaminess of the sauce. Personally I think the sauce is plenty creamy but some people like the added taste and creaminess of the sour cream.

Mushrooms – Sauté up some mushrooms and stir them in with the meatballs for some added flavor and texture. You can never go wrong with mushrooms in my opinion!

Cream of Mushroom Soup – For a thicker sauce, you can add a can of cream of mushroom soup along with the other sauce ingredients. If you do this you can omit the cornstarch and just let the sauce thicken with the soup. This will also make the sauce more on the creamy side. If you aren’t a fan of the canned soup you can make our homemade cream of mushroom soup and add a few spoonfuls.

Make them in the Instant Pot – Want to get Swedish meatballs on the table even faster? Try making them in the Instant Pot!

Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs over noodles on a plate garnished with parsley.

What to Serve with Swedish Meatballs

I always serve Swedish meatballs with either mashed potatoes or egg noodles. You can also just serve them as-is with a salad or roasted veggies on the side. Swedish meatballs also go great with green beans, asparagus, or personally, I like them with a side of Danish Red Cabbage (Rødkål).