Description
This Easy Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs recipe combines juicy, flavorful meatballs with a rich mushroom gravy, all slow-cooked to perfection. A comforting and hearty meal perfect for effortless weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 lbs ground beef
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 small onion, sliced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until all ingredients are well incorporated. Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs evenly sized.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides, taking care not to cook them through completely. This step seals in juices and adds flavor. Once browned, transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker.
- Prepare Sauce: In the same skillet, sauté sliced onions and mushrooms until they become soft and fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for about one minute to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the beef broth, ensuring no lumps form, and cook until the sauce begins to thicken. Stir in tomato paste, Dijon mustard, and dried thyme to enrich the flavor.
- Slow Cook: Pour the prepared sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker, covering them evenly. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the meatballs are fully cooked and tender, and the sauce has thickened to a gravy-like consistency.
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, you can mix an additional tablespoon of flour with water to create a slurry and stir in during the last hour of cooking.
- Serve the meatballs with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3-4 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
- Ground turkey or chicken can be used as a lighter alternative to beef, though cooking times may vary slightly.
