Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

ByChristina
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Swedish meatballs are small, tender beef and pork meatballs seasoned with nutmeg and allspice, served in a creamy brown gravy. This slow cooker version cooks raw homemade meatballs gently in a seasoned broth, then finishes the sauce with cream and sour cream. Serve them over egg noodles for dinner, or keep them warm in the crockpot for a party.

What Makes This Version Work

A panade for tender meatballs. Soaking panko in milk before mixing it into the meat creates a paste called a panade. It holds moisture inside the meatballs and keeps the proteins from tightening, so they stay soft even after hours of cooking.

Beef and pork together. Beef brings flavor, pork brings fat and a softer texture. The mix is traditional and noticeably more tender than all-beef meatballs.

Grated onion. Grating the onion instead of chopping it gives moisture and flavor without chunks that make meatballs fall apart.

Flour whisked into the broth. Whisking flour with melted butter and broth before pouring it over the meatballs thickens the gravy as they cook. Cream and sour cream go in only at the end so they do not curdle.

Ingredient Notes

  • Ground beef and pork: One pound of each. All beef works; add 2 tablespoons of extra milk to the panade for tenderness.
  • Nutmeg and allspice: These warm spices are the signature flavor of Swedish meatballs. Do not skip them.
  • Panko: Regular dry breadcrumbs work; use ⅓ cup since they are denser.
  • Sour cream: It adds the light tang that sets Swedish meatball gravy apart. Let it come to room temperature so it does not curdle.
  • Frozen meatballs: For a shortcut, use 2 pounds of frozen fully cooked meatballs and cook 3 to 4 hours on LOW.

Cues for Each Step

Mix the meat with your hands just until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Overmixing makes meatballs dense and springy. Wet your hands slightly to roll smooth 1½-inch balls; you should get about 30.

Arrange them in a single layer if possible. If they must stack, add the second layer gently and avoid stirring for the first 2 hours, when they are still fragile.

After 4 hours on LOW, a meatball cut in half should be cooked through with no pink, reaching 160°F. The gravy should be lightly thickened. Stir the cream and sour cream in gently so the meatballs stay whole.

Common Mistakes

  • Meatballs falling apart. Stirring too early. Wait until they firm up.
  • Tough meatballs. Overmixing, or skipping the milk-soaked breadcrumbs.
  • Curdled sauce. Adding sour cream straight from the fridge, or letting the sauce boil afterward.
  • Lumpy gravy. Not whisking the flour into the broth completely before pouring it in.

Variations

  • Browned first: For deeper flavor, brown the meatballs in a skillet for 5 minutes before adding them to the slow cooker. They also hold their shape better.
  • Party appetizer: Roll smaller 1-inch meatballs and keep them on WARM with toothpicks.
  • With lingonberry: Serve with lingonberry jam on the side, the traditional Swedish accompaniment. Cranberry sauce is a common substitute.
  • Mushroom gravy: Add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms to the slow cooker with the broth.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate meatballs in their sauce for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if the gravy is too thick. Cream sauces can separate when frozen, so for freezing, freeze the cooked meatballs in broth before adding cream and sour cream, for up to 3 months, and finish the sauce after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put raw meatballs in the slow cooker?

Yes. They cook through in about 4 hours on LOW. Check that the center reaches 160°F.

What do I serve Swedish meatballs with?

Buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes, with lingonberry or cranberry sauce on the side.

How do I keep them warm for a party?

Switch the slow cooker to WARM and stir gently every 30 minutes. Add a little broth if the sauce thickens too much.

Can I use ground turkey?

Yes, though turkey meatballs are leaner and slightly firmer. Add an extra tablespoon of milk to the panade.

Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

Tender beef and pork meatballs slow-cooked in a savory gravy finished with cream and sour cream.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb lean ground beef 85/15 blend
  • 1 lb ground pork uncooked
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs plain
  • 0.25 cup whole milk room temperature
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 0.5 cup yellow onion finely grated
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg freshly grated preferred
  • 0.25 tsp ground allspice fine ground
  • 1 tsp salt fine sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 2 cups beef broth low sodium
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce for flavor depth
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour for gravy thickening
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream warmed
  • 0.5 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped for garnish

Method
 

  1. In a small bowl, combine 0.5 cup plain panko breadcrumbs and 0.25 cup whole milk, letting them sit for 5 minutes until fully absorbed.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb ground pork, the soaked breadcrumbs, 1 beaten egg, 0.5 cup grated yellow onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg, 0.25 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper until evenly mixed.
  3. Shape the meat mixture into 30 meatballs, each about 1.5 inches in diameter, and place them in a single layer at the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 0.25 cup melted unsalted butter, and 0.25 cup all-purpose flour until completely smooth.
  5. Pour the broth mixture gently over the meatballs, cover with the lid, and cook on LOW for 4 hours until the meatballs are thoroughly cooked.
  6. Gently stir 0.5 cup warmed heavy cream and 0.5 cup room-temperature sour cream into the slow cooker sauce during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
  7. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley and serve warm over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Notes

Avoid stirring for the first 2 hours so the meatballs firm up and hold their shape.
Shortcut: use 2 pounds of frozen fully cooked meatballs and cook 3 to 4 hours on LOW.

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