Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs with Rich Brown Gravy
By Lucas Morgan
Prep
5 min
Cook
360 min
Total
365 min
Servings
6
Level
Easy
Build this six-serving slow cooker dinner in the morning by combining frozen meatballs and gravy ingredients, then finish the sauce with a cornstarch slurry later. The meatballs hold their tender shape in a rich brown gravy made with beef broth, gravy mix, and onion soup mix.
Frozen meatballs make the base, while reduced-sodium beef broth, brown gravy mix, onion soup mix, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce create the cooking liquid. Whisking the sauce separately helps disperse the seasoning packets before it reaches the slow cooker. The cornstarch and cold water are mixed only after cooking, giving the gravy a thicker finish without adding lumps.
After 5 to 6 hours on low, the meatballs should be tender and surrounded by a brown sauce. The key visual cue is gravy that coats a spoon after the slurry cooks for about 10 minutes. The common mistake is adding cornstarch directly to the crockpot instead of first mixing it with cold water, which can leave the gravy uneven.
Serve the meatballs and extra gravy over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or cooked white rice, with chopped parsley if wanted. Store the meatballs with their gravy in an airtight container, then warm both together on the stovetop or in the microwave so the sauce stays with each portion.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Starts with frozen meatballs, so a full six-serving dinner can be assembled in minutes without shaping, browning, or thawing anything before the slow cooker runs.
- The gravy cooks around the meatballs all day, which means each stored portion already has sauce for reheating over potatoes, noodles, or rice.
- Leftovers stay together easily in an airtight container because the meatballs and brown gravy are cooked as one dish rather than prepared separately.
- Portioning is straightforward because the recipe makes six servings, allowing the finished meatballs and gravy to be divided with a serving base as needed.
- Reheating works well on the stovetop or in the microwave because the source specifically directs warming leftover meatballs together with their extra gravy.
- A make-ahead morning setup is practical because the seasoned broth mixture is poured over frozen meatballs, then the thickening slurry is saved for the end.
Ingredients
- •nonstick cooking spray (for spraying the slow cooker insert)
- •1 bag frozen meatballs (26 oz, about 30-35 meatballs)
- •2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
- •1 packet brown gravy mix
- •1 packet onion soup mix
- •2 tbsp ketchup
- •1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- •2 tbsp cornstarch (use 1 tbsp for a thinner but still pourable gravy)
- •2 tbsp cold water (use 1 tbsp with 1 tbsp cornstarch for a thinner gravy)
- •chopped parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Spray the insert of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- 2
Dump the frozen meatballs into the slow cooker.
- 3
Whisk together the beef broth, brown gravy mix, onion soup mix, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl until well combined.
- 4
Pour the sauce over the frozen meatballs and stir everything together.
- 5
Cover and cook on LOW heat for 5-6 hours.
- 6
When the cook time is done, mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl with a fork.
- 7
Stir the cornstarch slurry into the crockpot and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened.
- 8
Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes and garnish with chopped parsley.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
366
Protein
22g
Fat
26g
Carbs
9g
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