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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Slow Cooker Salisbury steak meatballs with tender 1.5-inch beef balls simmered in a rich mushroom-onion gravy. Cook low for 5–6 hours for a cozy, spoon-tender texture that tastes like classic Salisbury steak.
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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: 540
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
  • 0.25 salt
  • 0.25 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
For 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 with even size.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in batches until browned on the outside, then transfer them to the Crockpot.
Slow-cook in Salisbury gravy
  1. Add cremini mushrooms and onion to the Crockpot, then pour in beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire, and Dijon mustard and stir to coat around the meatballs.
  2. Cover and cook on Low for 5–6 hours (or on High for about 3 hours) until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
Thicken the gravy and serve
  1. Whisk cornstarch with water to make a slurry, then stir it into the gravy.
  2. Cook on High for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the gravy thickens and looks glossy.
  3. Serve the meatballs and mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes and scatter with fresh parsley.

Notes

For the most classic Salisbury texture, don’t crowd the skillet when browning the meatballs—work in batches so they brown rather than steam. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave with a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is yes: cool completely, freeze in portions up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use low-sodium beef broth and low-sodium cream of mushroom soup.