The first time I made Crock Pot Meatball Stroganoff, my entire kitchen filled with that comforting aroma of mushrooms, creamy sauce, and slow-cooked savory meatballs, and I knew instantly I had stumbled onto a new weeknight staple. I remember lifting the lid after a few hours and seeing the sauce bubbling gently around the meatballs, soaking up all that flavor from the broth and seasonings. It felt like the kind of hearty, cozy meal that warms you from the inside out. By the time I spooned it over a bowl of tender egg noodles, I was completely hooked.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this recipe because it gives you all the comforting, nostalgic flavors of classic stroganoff with almost none of the effort—you literally toss everything into the slow cooker and let it work its magic while you go about your day.
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen meatballs
- 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup, condensed
- 1 ounce Lipton French onion soup mix
- 1 ounce brown gravy mix
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup sour cream
- 12 ounces egg noodles
I’ve tested this with different brands of frozen meatballs, and I’ve found that homestyle-style meatballs give the best texture and flavor—Italian-seasoned ones work too but add extra herbs. The combination of cream of mushroom soup, French onion mix, and brown gravy packet creates the most flavorful, creamy base without needing a long list of ingredients. Fresh mushrooms add a savory depth, but canned mushrooms work in a pinch. And sour cream is what brings that classic stroganoff richness right at the end.
Equipment Needed
- Slow cooker
- Mixing spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large pot (for noodles)
- Strainer
A slow cooker is the heart of this recipe, and truly any size around 4–6 quarts works perfectly. A mixing spoon is all you need to stir the sauce together before it begins cooking. A large pot is simply for boiling the egg noodles separately, which makes life easier because the noodles keep their texture better than if they were cooked directly in the slow cooker. A simple strainer is essential for draining them before serving.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Whenever I make this recipe, the first thing I do is gather all the sauce ingredients so I can mix them directly in the slow cooker. I add the cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, French onion soup mix, and brown gravy packet. As I stir everything together, the mixture becomes thick, smooth, and fragrant, and it already smells like the base of classic stroganoff. I love this part because it takes seconds, but it feels like building layers of flavor.
Next, I add the sliced mushrooms and frozen meatballs directly on top of the sauce. You don’t need to thaw the meatballs first—they thaw and cook perfectly in the slow cooker. I gently stir until everything is coated in that creamy sauce. Then I put the lid on and set the crock pot on low for 6 hours or high for about 3 hours. Slow cooking lets the flavors soak deep into the meatballs, and as the hours pass, the sauce transforms from thin and brothy to thick, silky perfection.
The moment I lift the lid near the end of the cooking time, the aroma of savory mushrooms and tender meat fills the entire kitchen. The sauce becomes creamy and comforting as it bubbles around the meatballs. I always check one or two meatballs just to make sure they’re fully heated through and tender. This is also when I stir in the sour cream. I learned early on not to add sour cream too soon, because it can curdle—adding it at the end keeps the sauce velvety smooth and rich.(See the next page below to continue…)