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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Slow Cooker Salisbury steak meatballs simmered on Low until tender, then finished with a thick mushroom-onion gravy. Serve these beef meatballs over mashed potatoes for a comforting, savory dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Use 80/20 for juicy meatballs.
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 salt Season to taste.
  • 0.25 pepper Season to taste.
For gravy
  • 16 oz cremini mushrooms Slice before adding to the slow cooker.
  • 1 onion Thinly slice.
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water Stir with cornstarch to make a slurry.
Serving
  • 1 mashed potatoes For serving.
  • 1 fresh parsley Optional garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. Roll into 1.5-inch balls, working lightly so the meat stays tender.
Brown and start the slow cook
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in batches. Place browned meatballs into the Dutch oven as you finish each batch.
  2. Add cremini mushrooms, onion, beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire, and Dijon mustard around the meatballs in the Dutch oven. Stir around the meatballs until the gravy is well mixed.
  3. Cover and cook on Low for 5-6 hours (or on High for about 3 hours) until the meatballs are cooked through and tender. No need to stir during this cook window.
Thicken the gravy and serve
  1. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the gravy and stir to combine.
  2. Cook on High for about 20 minutes until the gravy thickens and looks glossy. Serve the Salisbury steak meatballs over mashed potatoes, then scatter fresh parsley on top.

Notes

Pro tip: brown the meatballs before slow cooking to deepen flavor, then keep the lid on during the 5-6 hour Low cook. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot throughout. Freezing is yes—freeze meatballs and gravy (without fresh parsley) up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup and 90% lean ground beef.