Meatballs are a classic Crock-Pot recipe for a reason; prep them around lunchtime, and by dinner time, you have something ready for the potluck. But there's more than the classic barbecue sauce Crock-Pot meatballs, and here are 20 recipes that prove it.
Buddy’s Slow-Cooker Italian Meatballs Over Ramen
Recipe by Buddy Love
I'm making Italian sauce with ramen and meatballs for dinner tonight. I'm using tomatoes from the garden that I froze away as they ripened. If you don't have fresh or frozen tomatoes, you can use a can of tomato puree.
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Crockpot Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs are of course part of the ritual of the Saturday trip to Ikea, but there's no reason you can't enjoy them more often. The soy sauce and cream gravy and the allspice in the meatballs are what elevate this, and feel free to sub out turkey for a classic pork and beef meatball.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak panko in milk 3 minutes. Gently mix with turkey, egg, grated onion, meatball salt, allspice, nutmeg, and pepper. Shape 24 equal meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 165°F.
- Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan. Cook well-drained leek 6 minutes until soft. Add broth, Dijon, and soy sauce; bring to a simmer.
- Put hot broth mixture and hot meatballs in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, turning gently through broth once after the first hour.
- Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; stir into sauce. Cover on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes until thickened. Turn off cooker; let bubbling settle. Fold in cream; confirm meatballs remain at least 165°F.
- During the last 30 minutes, cover potatoes with cold water by 1 inch; add potato-water salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer 12 to 15 minutes until tender. Drain; toss with remaining butter.
- Divide potatoes among 6 plates; add 4 meatballs and gravy each. Serve with sauce smooth and hot.
Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
The slow-cooker grape jelly meatball gets an updated twist here. The addition of balsamic vinegar adds a bit of refinement, and feel free to add more.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak breadcrumbs in milk 3 minutes. Gently mix with beef, pork, egg, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Form 24 equal small meatballs.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes until browned and centers reach 160°F. Meanwhile, warm jelly, tomato paste, vinegar, broth, and Worcestershire in a saucepan, whisking until smooth and steaming.
- Pour hot glaze into a 4-quart slow cooker; fold in hot meatballs. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, stirring gently after the first hour, until centers reach 165°F and glaze coats meatballs.
- If glaze is too thin, uncover for the final 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once to prevent edges catching.
- Switch to WARM for serving only if food stays at least 140°F. Keep covered between servings; serve about 3 meatballs per appetizer portion.
Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
Sometimes you want a classic barbecue sauce meatball for game day, but there's no reason it has to be boring. A cheddar filling adds a whole new twist.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak breadcrumbs in milk 3 minutes. Gently mix with beef, egg, salt, and pepper. Divide into 24 equal portions.
- Flatten each portion around a cheddar cube, sealing all seams. Gently roll into balls; bake 16 to 20 minutes until meat reaches 160°F beside the cheese pocket.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, turning carefully through sauce after 1 hour, until meat reaches 165°F and glaze coats it. Uncover for the last 10 minutes if sauce needs reducing.
- Switch to WARM only while serving; verify food stays at least 140°F. Serve about 3 meatballs per appetizer portion.
Crockpot Salisbury Meatballs
You may have traumatic memories of lunchroom Salisbury steak, but ground beef and onion gravy are a natural pairing. The mushrooms are a perfect fit here too.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak crumbs in milk 3 minutes. Gently mix with beef, pork, egg, grated onion, meatball salt, and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 160°F.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms and sliced onion 10 to 12 minutes until mushroom liquid evaporates and onion starts browning.
- Stir in flour 1 minute. Gradually add broth, Worcestershire, ketchup, Dijon, thyme, and gravy salt. Simmer 3 minutes until smooth and lightly thickened.
- Transfer hot gravy and hot meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, stirring gently once, until centers reach 165°F and gravy coats meatballs.
- During the final 15 minutes, boil noodles in a large pot of water with noodle-water salt for 7 to 9 minutes, or package time, until tender. Drain; toss with remaining butter.
- Divide noodles among 6 bowls; top each with 4 meatballs, mushrooms, and gravy. Serve immediately.
Crockpot Honey Garlic Meatballs
Plenty of scallions and ginger and chopped water chestnuts make these honey-garlic meatballs an ideal fit for a tiki night. If you're lucky enough to have access to canned whole water chestnuts, try dropping in a few as well for even more textural variation.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Mix panko and milk. Fold in pork, egg, water chestnuts, scallions, ginger, salt, and pepper just until combined. Shape 24 equal meatballs.
- Bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 160°F. Meanwhile, simmer broth, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic in a saucepan 2 minutes.
- Transfer hot sauce and hot meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, turning gently through sauce once after 1 hour.
- Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; fold into sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Confirm meatball centers reach 165°F.
- Turn gently to coat; serve about 3 meatballs per appetizer portion. Hold on WARM only while food stays at least 140°F; keep covered between servings.
Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs
This is a slow cooker take on the classic sweet and sour combo. I'm a cooked pineapple hater, so I'll leave the chunks out, but the pineapple juice still works beautifully, even without them.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak breadcrumbs in milk 3 minutes. Gently mix with turkey, egg, carrot, meatball salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Form 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 165°F.
- Meanwhile, bring pineapple juice, broth, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce to a simmer in a saucepan. Transfer hot sauce and hot meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 90 minutes. Fold in drained pineapple and green pepper. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; stir into sauce.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 30 to 40 minutes more until pepper is tender-crisp, sauce thickens, and meatballs remain at least 165°F.
- During the final half hour, bring rice, rice water, and rice salt to a boil in a saucepan. Cover; reduce to low for 18 minutes, then rest off heat 10 minutes.
- Divide rice among 6 bowls; top each with 4 meatballs, pineapple, pepper, and sauce. Serve promptly.
Crockpot Teriyaki Meatballs
Living in Seattle for years, I developed quite the affinity for takeout teriyaki, but the flavor profile works well in a slow cooker too. If you want a more complex flavor, consider replacing some of the chicken broth with sake; a whole lot more sophisticated than what I was eating with my hoodie up in the parking lot.
Ingredients
Method
- Gently mix pork, panko, egg, mixture water, scallions, half the ginger, salt, and pepper. Shape 24 equal meatballs; refrigerate while heating sauce.
- Simmer broth, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic, and remaining ginger in a saucepan. Pour into a 4-quart slow cooker on HIGH; immediately lower raw meatballs into hot sauce with a spoon, gently arranging in no more than 2 layers.
- Cover; cook on HIGH about 3 hours until largest meatballs reach 160°F. Do not stir for first 2 hours so they set.
- Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; gently fold into sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes until glossy and thickened.
- During final half hour, boil rice and rice water in a saucepan. Cover; cook on low 13 minutes. Quickly add broccoli on top; cover 5 minutes more. Rest off heat 10 minutes; fluff gently.
- Divide broccoli rice among 6 bowls; add 4 meatballs and sauce to each. Divide measured sesame seeds over meatballs.
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Think of this as a deconstructed Buffalo wing. The wings are subbed out with chicken meatballs and smothered in that nice Buffalo sauce, with blue cheese crumbled on top (natch).
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak panko in milk 3 minutes. Gently mix with chicken, squeezed zucchini, egg, onion powder, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Form 24 equal meatballs.
- Bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 165°F. Meanwhile, warm hot sauce, broth, 3 tablespoons butter, and brown sugar in a saucepan until butter melts and sauce steams.
- Transfer hot sauce and meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, gently turning once.
- Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; stir into sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 minutes until lightly thickened. Turn off cooker; stir in remaining butter. Verify meatballs remain at least 165°F.
- Transfer to a serving bowl; scatter measured blue cheese over meatballs. Serve hot, about 3 per appetizer portion.
Crockpot French Onion Meatballs
This isn't exactly a one-pot dish, but it's awfully close. Caramelizing the onions until golden is an essential feature of French onion soup, so don't skip it.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak breadcrumbs in milk 3 minutes. Gently mix with beef, pork, egg, meatball salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 160°F.
- Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in a wide skillet over medium-low. Cook onions with onion salt 30 to 35 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden throughout.
- Stir flour into onions 1 minute; add wine and scrape pan. Add broth and thyme; simmer 3 minutes. Transfer hot gravy and meatballs to a 5-quart slow cooker.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours until centers reach 165°F, gently turning through onions once.
- Near serving, toast bread on a rimmed sheet at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes. Put one slice in each of 6 broiler-safe shallow bowls; top each with 4 meatballs and gravy. Divide Gruyere over tops.
- Set bowls on a sheet; broil 6 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes until cheese bubbles. Rest 2 minutes; serve hot bowls on heatproof plates.
Crockpot Meatball Subs
The Crock-Pot meatball doesn't need to be served on a toothpick, and in fact, it goes awfully well on a meatball sub. Italian sausage gives you the right flavor profile, and if you have fresh basil, by all means use that instead.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak breadcrumbs in milk 3 minutes. Gently mix with turkey, sausage, egg, basil, meatball salt, and garlic powder. Shape 24 small meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 165°F.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan; cook onion 6 minutes and garlic 30 seconds. Blend roasted peppers with tomatoes until fairly smooth; add with sauce salt. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Transfer hot sauce and meatballs to a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, turning gently once, until meatballs remain at least 165°F and sauce clings.
- Near serving, toast split rolls cut-side up on a sheet at 400°F for 4 to 5 minutes until edges lightly crisp.
- Fill each roll with 4 meatballs and a modest spoonful of sauce; divide Fontina over tops. Broil 6 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes until melted.
- Rest 2 minutes; serve one sub per person with extra sauce alongside only as needed.
Crockpot Korean Meatballs
It may sound strange, but using grated pear is a time-tested technique for tenderizing meat in Korea. Gochujang provides that familiar "Korean" flavor profile that's taken over the world in the past decade or so.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Mix panko and milk; gently fold in beef, pork, egg, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 160°F.
- Meanwhile, simmer pear, gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and broth in a saucepan 3 minutes, stirring until combined. Transfer hot sauce and meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, turning gently once. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; fold into sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes until thickened and centers reach 165°F.
- During final half hour, boil rice and rice water in a saucepan. Cover; reduce to low and cook 18 minutes. Rest off heat 10 minutes.
- Turn off cooker; gently stir sesame oil through sauce. Divide rice among 6 bowls; add 4 meatballs and sauce to each.
Crockpot Bourbon Meatballs
With its sweet, vanilla-like aromas, bourbon is a natural addition to Crock-Pot cooking. The long, slow cooking takes the bite off, leaving a rich, complex base of flavor that works well with molasses.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak panko in milk 3 minutes; gently mix with pork, bacon, egg, salt, pepper, and sage. Shape 24 equal meatballs.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes until centers reach 160°F. Lift from rendered fat with a slotted spatula.
- Meanwhile, pour bourbon into a saucepan away from flame. Gently simmer 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in ketchup, broth, molasses, vinegar, and Dijon; return to simmer.
- Transfer hot sauce and meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, gently turning once, until centers reach 165°F. Uncover final 10 to 15 minutes if glaze needs reducing.
- Gently coat; serve about 3 meatballs per appetizer portion. Keep covered on WARM only while food stays at least 140°F.
Crockpot Enchilada Meatballs
There's no reason to use the jarred enchilada sauce, especially in something like a slow cooker where all you have to do is mix and dump it in. The cornmeal and beans, as a binder in the meatball, give you an all-in-one bite.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; grease a rimmed sheet with teaspoon oil. Gently mix pork, mashed beans, cornmeal, egg, onion, cumin, oregano, and meatball salt. Form 24 meatballs; bake 18 to 22 minutes until centers reach 160°F.
- Meanwhile, heat sauce oil in a saucepan over medium. Stir in flour and ancho powder 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in broth, tomatoes, and sauce salt; simmer 4 minutes until smooth.
- Transfer hot sauce and meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, gently turning once, until centers reach 165°F.
- During final hour, boil rice, rice water, and rice salt. Cover; cook on low 40 to 45 minutes until tender and water absorbed. Rest off heat 10 minutes.
- Top meatballs with cheddar; turn off cooker and cover 5 minutes until melted. Avoid stirring cheese into a paste. Divide rice among 6 bowls; add 4 meatballs and sauce to each.
Crockpot Marry Me Meatballs and Gnocchi
You definitely don't want to cook pasta in the Crock-Pot, but it can be great as a last-minute addition. This version is based on chicken meatballs, with gnocchi thrown in for the last stretch.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Gently mix chicken, ricotta, panko, egg, basil, meatball salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 165°F.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan. Cook onion 5 minutes; garlic 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and broth; simmer.
- Transfer hot broth mixture and meatballs to a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, gently turning once.
- Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; fold into sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 minutes until lightly thickened. Turn off cooker; wait until bubbling settles. Fold in cream, Parmesan, and spinach; cover 5 minutes to wilt. Keep meatball centers at least 165°F.
- Meanwhile, boil gnocchi in a large pot with gnocchi-water salt for 2 to 3 minutes or package time, until floating and tender. Drain well; gently fold into sauce.
- Divide gnocchi, spinach, and sauce among 6 bowls; add 4 meatballs each. Serve promptly before gnocchi absorb more sauce.
Crockpot Mississippi Meatballs
Most Mississippi meatball recipes online rely on ranch dressing, but a from-scratch version is just as easy and twice as good. The pepperoncini add the necessary tang.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak oats in meatball milk 5 minutes; gently mix with beef, egg, meatball salt, and pepper. Form 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 160°F.
- Meanwhile, simmer broth, pepperoncini, brine, 2 tablespoons butter, dill, chives, garlic powder, and onion powder. Transfer hot mixture and meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, gently turning once. Whisk cornstarch and buttermilk powder with slurry water until smooth; fold into sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes until thickened and centers reach 165°F.
- During final half hour, cover potatoes with cold water by 1 inch; add potato-water salt. Bring to boil; simmer 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain; return to warm pan 1 minute and mash by hand.
- Warm potato milk with remaining butter; fold into mash with potato seasoning salt. Divide among 6 plates; add 4 meatballs, gravy, and a softened pepperoncini or two each.
Crockpot Cajun Meatballs
This one isn't necessarily as much of a snap as some of the other recipes. After all, a roux requires mindful stirring to prevent burning, but the depth of flavor it provides is more than worth it.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; grease a rimmed sheet with teaspoon oil. Soak panko in milk 3 minutes; gently mix with beef, pork, egg, grated onion, meatball salt, paprika, thyme, cayenne, and pepper. Form 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 160°F.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon gravy oil in a saucepan. Cook diced onion, pepper, and celery 7 minutes until soft; transfer to a bowl.
- Add remaining gravy oil and flour. Stir constantly over medium 5 to 7 minutes until peanut-butter brown. Gradually whisk in broth; return vegetables and add gravy salt. Simmer 3 minutes.
- Transfer hot gravy and meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, gently turning once, until centers reach 165°F.
- Near serving, boil grits water and salt. Whisk in grits; reduce to low. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until tender. Remove from heat; fold in butter and cheddar.
- Divide grits among 6 bowls; top each with 4 meatballs and vegetable gravy. Serve while grits are soft.
Crockpot Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Chicken, lemon, and capers make a great summer flavor combo, and orzo added at the end makes this a full meal. Be sure to add the lemon juice at the end, and don't feel shy about zesting some lemon into the mix, too.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak panko in milk 3 minutes; gently mix with chicken, egg, Parmesan, meatball salt, and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 165°F.
- Meanwhile, simmer broth, wine, and garlic 3 minutes. Transfer hot liquid and meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, gently turning once. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; fold into sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Turn off cooker; wait until bubbling settles. Add lemon juice, drained capers, and 2 tablespoons butter. Confirm meatballs remain at least 165°F.
- During final 15 minutes, boil orzo in a large pot with orzo-water salt for 8 to 10 minutes or package time, until tender. Drain; toss with remaining butter.
- Divide orzo among 6 bowls; top each with 4 meatballs and lemon-caper sauce. Serve immediately.
Crockpot Kung Pao Meatballs
Despite years of work and travel in Asia, I still have a soft spot for the Chinese-American classics of my boyhood. Kung Pao is all about the combination of peanuts and red pepper flakes, and for bonus points, you can throw some unroasted peanuts from the Asian market in the slow cooker too.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Mix breadcrumbs with meatball water; gently fold in pork, egg, ginger, salt, and garlic powder. Shape 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 160°F.
- Meanwhile, simmer broth, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin, and pepper flakes 2 minutes. Transfer hot sauce and meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 90 minutes. Fold in pepper and celery. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; gently stir into sauce.
- Cover; cook on HIGH 30 to 40 minutes more until vegetables are tender-crisp, sauce glossy, and centers reach 165°F.
- Turn off cooker; gently fold in sesame oil and peanuts. Serve about 3 meatballs per appetizer portion with sauce and vegetables.
Crockpot Coq au Vin Meatballs
Coq au vin is all about slow cooking, so it's a natural fit for the Crock-Pot. Rather than using a stringy old rooster as they would in France, using chicken meatballs gives this versatility as an appetizer or a party hors d'oeuvre.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F; oil a rimmed sheet. Soak bread in milk 5 minutes; mash to a paste. Gently mix with chicken, egg, meatball salt, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs; bake 16 to 20 minutes until centers reach 165°F.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in a wide saucepan over medium 7 to 8 minutes until browned. Retain bacon and 1 tablespoon fat; discard excess. Add mushrooms and pearl onions; cook 8 minutes until mushrooms brown.
- Add tomato paste for 1 minute, then wine; simmer 5 minutes. Add broth, bay leaf, and remaining thyme; return to simmer.
- Transfer hot sauce and meatballs to a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours, gently turning once. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; fold into sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes until thickened and centers remain at least 165°F.
- During final 15 minutes, boil noodles in a large pot with noodle-water salt for 7 to 9 minutes or package time, until tender. Drain; toss with butter.
- Discard bay leaf. Divide noodles among 6 bowls; add 4 meatballs, mushrooms, pearl onions, bacon, and wine gravy to each.
