Seriously AMAZING Swedish Meatballs are so easy to make in a slow cooker! This recipe was passed down from my mother in law and the sauce is to-die-for!

The combination of ground pork and beef is key to making the best homemade meatballs. And the egg noodles can be cooked in the sauce, right in the crockpot at the end, making this recipe (and clean-up) even easier!

Swedish meatballs and egg noodles in bowl

Say hello to the new and improved Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs recipe!

After making this recipe over and over again, I learned a few things and have now PERFECTED making Swedish Meatballs in a crock pot! This is one of my most requested recipes from my husband Kurt. It was his Mom that passed down the recipe to me in the first place!

The creamy sauce is so flavorful and the tender meatballs are perfectly seasoned. If serving the meatballs with egg noodles, you can cook them right in the sauce in the slow cooker. The noodles will soak up all that saucy flavor and leave you with seriously flavorful, perfectly cooked noodles!

This is one recipe you’re going to want to save. Go old school and bookmark it, go new school and pin it, or go really old school and print it out. Just be sure to save it so you can make this great recipe over and over again!

No need to head to Ikea, you now have the recipe to make perfect Swedish Meatballs at home that taste way better than the stuff you’ll get at the food court!

Table of contents

Swedish meatballs being spooned out of slow cooker

Why this recipe works

As I mentioned, I’ve tested and perfected this recipe over the years and these are a few can’t miss things that I’ve learned along the way!

  1. Searing the meatballs before adding them to the slow cooker will deepen their flavor. It also helps the meatballs keep their shape in the slow cooker.
  2. A combination of pork and beef for the meatballs adds enough fat to make the meatballs tender and juicy!
  3. Add the sour cream at the end to help thicken the sauce and give it that delicious creaminess! This also prevents the sour cream from curdling in the sauce, which can happen if you add it too early.
  4. Add fresh herbs at the end to allow the bright, fresh flavors of the parsley and lemon zest to really shine through in this meatball recipe!

Step by step instructions

  1. Prepare the meatballs.
    • Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat.
    • Sauté diced onions in the olive oil for 4-5 minutes, then set aside.
    • In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, egg yolks, allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper and the sautéd onions.
    • Use your hands to roll the mixture into approximately 24 golf ball sized meatballs.
    • In the same skillet you cooked the onions, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil. Place the skillet on the stove over medium high heat.
    • Add the meatballs and sear on all sides, 1-2 minutes per side or until light brown.
    • Transfer the browned meatballs to a slow cooker.
  2. Prepare the sauce.
    • Keep the skillet you seared the meatballs in on the stove over medium high heat.
    • Add flour to the skillet and scrape up all of the pan drippings from the meatballs.
    • Add beef broth to the skillet and bring to a boil.
    • Whisk everything together, then transfer the sauce to the slow cooker with the meatballs.
    • Slow cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
  3. Finish the dish.
    • Thirty minutes before serving the dish, add the egg noodles to the slow cooker. Move the meatballs to the side to make sure the egg noodles get in the sauce. If the noodles are not covered in the sauce, they won’t cook properly.
    • Cook the noodles in the slow cooker for 30 minutes, then check to make sure they’re tender.
    • Once the noodles are tender, stir in the sour cream, lemon zest, fresh parsley, salt and black pepper.
    • Serve immediately or turn to warm for up to 30 minutes before serving. If the noodles sit in the slow cooker, even on warm, any longer, they will start to get mushy.
Swedish meatballs and cooked egg noodles in bowl

How to serve them

  • With noodles for dinner – egg noodles or pappardelle pasta are both delicious served with these meatballs and their delicious, creamy gravy sauce! The noodles can be cooked directly in the sauce in the slow cooker, as previously mentioned. Or they can be boiled in water on the stove, drained then served on a plate topped with the meatballs and sauce.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes. Instead of noodles, try the meatballs and sauce poured over mashed potatoes. This is the most traditional way to serve the meatballs in Sweden, along with a side of lingonberry jam.
  • As a party appetizer – ditch the noodles and serve these meatballs as the perfect party app! Without the noodles in the slow cooker, the meatballs and sauce can stay in the crockpot, set to warm, for up to 4 hours. Put a bowl of toothpicks on the side for an easy way to serve the meatballs at a party. I promise you that guests will rave about these meatballs for years to come!
  • With zoodles or spaghetti squash for a low carb option – each meatball is only 4 carbs, so you can easily turn these Swedish meatballs into a Keto meal! Simply roast spaghetti squash or sauté zucchini noodles while the Swedish meatballs cook in the crock pot. Serve the meatballs over the zoodles or spaghetti squash with the meatball sauce for a low carb meal.
  • Serve with white rice. Refer to this post for how to make white rice on the stove, in an Instant Pot or in a rice cooker. Then pair the meatballs with a steaming bowl of rice!

What to serve with them

  • Crusty baguette – to soak up all of that amazing Swedish meatballs sauce, of course!
  • Roasted Broccolini – add an easy green side dish to this delicious meal of comfort food!
  • Garlic Lemon Green Beans – another way to add some greens at dinner time. The lemon zest from the meatballs pairs perfectly with these lemon zested green beans.
Swedish meatballs and egg noodles in crockpot

More slow cooker recipes

Wondering what other delicious dishes you can make in your slow cooker? Try these recipe favorites!

  • Slow Cooker Beef Ragu – voted “one of the best recipes to come from food bloggers” in 2014 by Huffington Post! This Slow Cooked Beef Ragu continues to be a hit on the blog!
  • Chipotle Honey Pulled Pork – a family favorite since 2013! This pulled pork is perfect for tacos, nachos or burritos!
  • Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa – better than Chipotle, easy to make and great for prepping burrito bowls!
  • Crock Pot Mac & Cheese – what party is complete without a crockpot of mac & cheese? No party of mine, that’s for sure!
  • Dr Pepper Pulled Pork Sliders – I turned my Mom’s favorite soda into her favorite slow cooker recipe! And I promise, it will become a new family favorite in your house as well!
  • Crock Pot Taco Soup – this family recipe has been around since I was a kid. It was a hit with our family then and has been a hit on the blog since 2012!
Swedish meatballs in bowl with cooked egg noodles and copper forks
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Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

Seriously AMAZING Swedish Meatballs are so easy to make in a slow cooker! This recipe was passed down from my mother in law & the sauce is to-die-for!
Servings: 24 swedish meatballs
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Swedish

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet, cook the diced onions 3-5 minutes.
  • Combine the cooked onions, ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg yolks, allspice, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
  • Use your hands to roll the mixture into approximately 24 golf ball sized meatballs.
  • In the same skillet you cooked the diced onions, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil, bring to medium-high heat and place the meatballs in the skillet, brown on all sides, 3-5 minutes.
  • Remove the meatballs from the skillet and place in a slow cooker.
  • Keep the skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add flour to the skillet with the pan drippings from the meatballs.
  • Scrape up all of the meatball drippings and combine with the flour.
  • Stir in the beef broth and bring to a boil.
  • Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker.
  • Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
  • If you want to cook egg noodles in the sauce in the slow cooker, add them 30 minutes before serving the meatballs.
  • Move the meatballs to the side of the slow cooker to make sure the noodles get cooked in the sauce.
  • Before serving the meatballs, add the sour cream, lemon zest, parsley, and additional 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
  • Serve immediately or turn the slow cooker to warm to serve within the hour.

Notes

  • Other Serving Options
    • Instead of cooking the egg noodles in the slow cooker, they can be boiled on the stove, then added to the slow cooker or served on a plate, topped with the meatballs and sauce from the slow cooker. 
    • The meatballs are also delicious served over mashed potatoes.
    • For a low carb option, serve the meatballs over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
    • The meatballs are also great served by themselves as a party appetizer.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 151kcal (8%)Carbohydrates 4g (1%)Protein 8g (16%)Fat 11g (17%)Saturated Fat 4g (20%)Cholesterol 48mg (16%)Sodium 391mg (16%)Potassium 158mg (5%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 1g (1%)Vitamin A 95mg (2%)Vitamin C 1mg (1%)Calcium 27mg (3%)Iron 1mg (6%)
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