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    Ambitious Foodie » Recipes » Mains

    Easy Swedish Meatballs

    Published: January 27, 2025 · Modified: June 24, 2025 By Imsen. This post may contain affiliate links. See the Privacy Policy at the bottom of this page.

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy Swedish Meatballs are simple to make in the slow cooker using frozen meatballs, a gravy packet, beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, and evaporated milk, which creates a smooth and creamy gravy sauce.

    Easy Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
    Jump to:
    • SWEDISH MEATBALLS
    • HOW TO MAKE SWEDISH MEATBALLS WITH FROZEN MEATBALLS
    • TIPS AND HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING SWEDISH MEATBALLS
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More Dinner Recipes To Try
    • Recipe
    • Easy Swedish Meatballs

    SWEDISH MEATBALLS

    Meatballs cooked in a rich gravy sauce are known as Swedish meatballs. I wanted to make a simple Swedish meatball recipe that employs simple cupboard goods, frozen meatballs, and slow cooker cooking.

    Frozen meatballs, beef broth, water, condensed mushroom soup, garlic powder, a package of brown gravy mix, and a can of evaporated milk for a smooth, creamy finish are the ingredients for these simple Swedish meatballs. These meatballs are always a family favorite for dinner since they are so simple to prepare.

    Easy Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

    HOW TO MAKE SWEDISH MEATBALLS WITH FROZEN MEATBALLS

    This basic dish calls for only a few ingredients. Here are the major items you'll need:

    How to make swedish meatballs with step-by-step photo instructions.
    How to make swedish meatballs with step-by-step photo instructions.

    How to make swedish meatballs with step-by-step photo instructions.
    How to make swedish meatballs with step-by-step photo instructions.
    • Frozen Meatballs - Yes, you could prepare your own, but it defeats the whole point of this recipe's simplicity. I had to give a mention to the greatest frozen meatballs I've ever had, which are from Costco. They sell a huge bag of Italian-style meatballs that are just wonderful. The membership alone is worth it for the meatballs. Or simply grab a bag from the grocery store. Any frozen meatball, whether Italian or homemade, will work here.
    • Beef Broth - I tried the recipe with full-salt beef broth, but it was too salty when coupled with the condensed soup and gravy packet. Use a beef broth with a sodium reduction of 50%. But, as always, you can use standard beef broth if you like.
    • Cream of Mushroom Soup - I don't even like mushrooms, yet I adore this addition in these meatballs. The entire idea of Swedish meatballs is the creamy gravy sauce, and the cream of mushroom soup adds richness and deep flavor to the mushrooms.
    • Brown Gravy Packet - Adds a lot of flavor with just one packet.
    • Water
    • Garlic Powder
    • Evaporated Milk - I wanted to give a creamy element. Sour cream is commonly used in Swedish meatball recipes, however I find that it causes the sauce to be lumpy rather than smooth. The evaporated ingredients contribute to the sauce's smooth and creamy texture.

    TIPS AND HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING SWEDISH MEATBALLS

    • This isn't the type of slow cooker meal that can be left on the warm setting for a few hours while cooking all day. I've discovered that it's ready to eat as soon as the evaporated milk is added. The sauce becomes thicker the longer the meatballs are cooked in the slow cooker, and you will no longer have the silky, smooth gravy sauce you formerly had.
    • Since evaporated milk makes the sauce so smooth, I believe it's the finest option! I tried using sour cream, which is typically used in Swedish meatballs, but I discovered that it takes a very long time to dissolve into the sauce, and when it does, there are tiny white sour cream bits in the sauce. I believe that using evaporated milk is the greatest option because I like my gravy sauce to be smooth.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can I make my own meatballs?

    You certainly can! Although there are many homemade meatball recipes available on Pinterest, I am not in possession of a suitable recipe that I can suggest.

    How do I serve Swedish meatballs?

    These are best eaten with egg noodles, according to my family. They can also be served over rice, eaten as is, or used to make meatball sandwiches.

    Can I substitute the cream of mushroom soup?

    I'll be honest and state that this is the only recipe on my website that calls for this ingredient, even though I know not everyone enjoys it. Having said that, I adore mushrooms in this meatball dish even though I don't like them. Making cream of mushroom soup or utilizing another creamed soup, such as cream of celery or cream of onion, are both options. I'm not sure what would happen if you used a different creamed soup because it will likely vary the flavor a little.

    Swedish Meatballs

    If you tried this Easy Swedish Meatballs or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!

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    Recipe

    Easy Swedish Meatballs

    Easy Swedish Meatballs are simple to make in the slow cooker using frozen meatballs, a gravy packet, beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, and evaporated milk, which creates a smooth and creamy gravy sauce.
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    Course: dinner, Main Course, main dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours hours
    Total Time: 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 353kcal
    Author: Imsen
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    INGREDIENTS

    • 32 oz frozen Italian style or homestyle meatballs equal to 60 frozen meatballs
    • 14.75 oz 50% reduced sodium beef broth
    • 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
    • 0.87 oz brown gravy mix
    • 3 teaspoons garlic powder
    • ½ cup water
    • 5 oz evaporated milk

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Apply cooking spray to the slow cooker's insert. Fill the slow cooker with the meatballs.
    • Combine the beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, contents of the gravy packet, water, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Using a wire whisk, stir until incorporated. Cover the meatballs with it.
    • Cover the slow cooker and simmer for four to five hours on LOW heat. I typically finish mine around four thirty minutes. The meatballs can be cooked for the whole five hours, but it's better to eat them right away after adding the evaporated milk to preserve the smooth, creamy gravy sauce.
    • Stir together after adding the can of evaporated milk. Replace the lid and cook for 15 to 30 minutes. Serve right away over rice or boiled egg noodles.

    NOTES

    • Serving Note: The nutrition facts are for seven meatballs per serving. Specifically, 7.5 meatballs. The nutritional data only includes seven meatballs and sauce. It excludes the rice and egg noodles on which it is served.
    • Frozen Meatballs: I simply count out 60 meatballs because I generally use a huge bag of frozen meatballs from Costco. There are 60–62 meatballs in a 32 oz bag of frozen meatballs. Make use of homemade or Italian-style meatballs.
    • Advice: Before adding the evaporated milk to the meatballs, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into it to create a very thick sauce. I don't do this since I tried it once and felt it was too thick, too much like gravy.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keyword Easy Swedish Meatballs, meatballs, Slow Cooker Meatballs, Swedish Meatballs
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Follow @ambitiousfoodieblog on Instagram, take a shot, and tag it #ambitiousfoodieblog! I love to see what you are making!

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    Hi, This is Imsen! I'm the author, recipe developer, and photographer behind Ambitious Foodie. Welcome to my virtual kitchen! If you're wondering what's for dinner, you've come to the right place.

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