When the calendar starts filling up and the weather turns chilly, a simple slow cooker supper like this one feels like a blessing. This 4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pre-Holiday Meatball Supper is the kind of practical, hearty meal many Midwestern home cooks have leaned on for years: easy on the cook, filling for the family, and just right for those busy days when there is more to do than time to do it. Using frozen pork meatballs and a few pantry staples, you can put together a warm, saucy meal with hardly any fuss at all.
This supper is especially good served over buttery egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or fluffy rice to catch every bit of the rich sauce. A pan of green beans, glazed carrots, or a simple side salad rounds it out nicely, and a piece of warm bread on the side never hurts when you want to sop up the last spoonful from the plate.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pre-Holiday Meatball Supper
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 bag (about 26 ounces) frozen pork meatballs
1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
1 packet (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
2 cups beef broth
Directions
1. Add the frozen pork meatballs to the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, and beef broth until smooth.
3. Pour the sauce mixture over the meatballs, making sure they are well coated.
4. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce is hot and bubbling.
5. Gently stir, then serve the meatballs and sauce over noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Variations & Tips
For a richer gravy: If you like a thicker, heartier sauce, stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking. It makes the gravy especially nice for serving over mashed potatoes.
Add vegetables: A handful of sliced mushrooms, chopped onions, or baby carrots can go right into the slow cooker with the meatballs. They stretch the meal a bit and make it feel even more like an old-fashioned supper.
Make it party-friendly: These meatballs can also be served right from the slow cooker with toothpicks for a casual gathering, though they are just as welcome spooned over noodles for supper. If serving for guests, switch the cooker to warm once everything is fully heated.
Season carefully: Dry onion soup mix can be salty, so taste the sauce before adding any extra salt. A little black pepper at the end is often all it needs.