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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Slow cooker Salisbury steak meatballs with tender 1.5-inch beef meatballs simmered in a rich mushroom-onion gravy. Cook low for 5–6 hours for a melt-in-your-mouth texture and finish with a quick cornstarch thickening.
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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
  

Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • salt
  • pepper
Gravy
  • 16 oz cremini mushrooms
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
Serving
  • mashed potatoes
  • fresh parsley

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make and brown the meatballs
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, then roll into 1.5-inch balls.
  2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs, turning as needed until they develop a deep golden crust.
  3. Transfer the browned meatballs to the slow cooker.
Slow-cook in Salisbury steak gravy
  1. Add sliced cremini mushrooms and thinly sliced onion to the slow cooker around the meatballs.
  2. Pour in beef broth and add cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire, and Dijon mustard, then stir around the meatballs until evenly coated.
  3. Cover and cook on Low for 5–6 hours (or High for 3 hours), until the meatballs are fully cooked and the gravy is bubbling at the edges.
Thicken and serve
  1. Whisk cornstarch and water together to form a slurry, then stir it into the gravy.
  2. Cook on High for 20 minutes until the gravy thickens to a spoon-coating consistency, with visible thickening as you stir.
  3. Serve the meatballs and mushroom-onion gravy over mashed potatoes and scatter fresh parsley on top.

Notes

For best browning, make sure the meatballs are all about 1.5 inches and avoid overcrowding the skillet. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently in a covered pot or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes from the cream soup and thickened gravy. For a lighter option, swap the cream of mushroom soup for a lower-fat version and use part-skim dairy-based gravy substitutes if available.