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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Slow Cooker Salisbury steak meatballs are tender, 1.5-inch beef meatballs simmered for hours in a rich mushroom-onion gravy. Served over mashed potatoes, they deliver a classic Salisbury-style flavor with an easy low-and-slow method.
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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
  • 0.333 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 salt
  • 1 pepper
For gravy
  • 16 oz cremini mushrooms
  • 1 onion
  • 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
  • 1 mashed potatoes for serving
  • 1 fresh parsley

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, then roll into 1.5-inch balls.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the meatballs in batches until browned on the outside, about 2–3 minutes per side.
Slow-cook the Salisbury-style gravy
  1. Transfer the browned meatballs to the Dutch oven, then add sliced cremini mushrooms and thinly sliced onion around them.
  2. Pour in beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire, and Dijon mustard, then stir around the meatballs so everything is coated.
  3. Cover and cook on Low for 5–6 hours (or on High for 3 hours) until the meatballs are cooked through and the flavors meld.
Thicken and serve
  1. Whisk cornstarch with water, then stir the slurry into the gravy.
  2. Cook on High for 20 minutes, stirring once, until the gravy thickens.
  3. Serve the meatballs and mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes, then scatter fresh parsley on top as a finishing touch.

Notes

Pro tip: browning the meatballs first builds deeper flavor in the crockpot gravy; don’t skip it if you can. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freezing is yes—freeze meatballs and gravy (without fresh parsley) for up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat gently. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and confirm the cream of mushroom soup is gluten-free.