Crockpot Meatballs Gravy (Printable)
Slow-cooked beef meatballs in a savory brown gravy, ready for mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.
# What You Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1½ lbs ground beef (80/20)
02 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
03 - ¼ cup whole milk
04 - 1 large egg
05 - ½ small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
09 - 1 tsp kosher salt
10 - ½ tsp black pepper
→ Brown Gravy
11 - 2 cups beef broth
12 - 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
13 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
14 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
15 - 1 tsp dried thyme
16 - ½ tsp onion powder
17 - ½ tsp garlic powder
18 - ¼ cup heavy cream
19 - 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry, as needed)
# How-To:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, chopped onion, minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just incorporated, being careful not to overwork the meat.
02 - Roll the mixture into 1½-inch meatballs, yielding approximately 20 to 24 uniform portions.
03 - For enhanced flavor and texture, heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer to the slow cooker.
04 - Arrange the shaped meatballs in an even layer at the bottom of the crockpot.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, dried thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the meatballs in the slow cooker.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
07 - Stir in the heavy cream. If the gravy needs thickening, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry while stirring, then cook on HIGH for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed rice.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Hands off cooking that makes you look like you spent all day in the kitchen when you really just dumped everything in a crockpot and walked away.
- The gravy is so rich and velvety that people will ask what your secret is, and you can decide whether to tell them it involves condensed soup.
02 -
- Overmixing the meatball mixture is the fastest way to get dense rubbery orbs instead of tender ones, so mix until just combined and stop.
- The browning step is optional but it builds a layer of flavor through the Maillard reaction that the slow cooker alone cannot replicate.
03 -
- Wet your hands slightly before rolling meatballs and the mixture will not stick to your palms, making the whole process faster and less frustrating.
- Let the cooked meatballs rest in the gravy for ten minutes off the heat before serving, because that rest time lets everything settle and the gravy finishes thickening.