The classic comfort food just got easier! Let your Crock Pot do the work for this easy slow cooker meatball stroganoff, which only requires about 10 minutes of prep. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner recipe!
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If you love recipes with frozen meatballs, don’t miss these Crock Pot grape jelly meatballs, these easy meatball subs with frozen meatballs, and this dump-and-bake meatball casserole, too!
A Meatball Stroganoff Crockpot Recipe Makes Weeknights Easier
Beef Stroganoff has been a favorite cool-weather dinner for as long as I can remember. My mom served it to us when we were kids, and now I’m feeding it to my own family — with a shortcut twist!
Thanks to help from frozen meatballs, you don’t even have to brown the beef before tossing it into your Crock Pot. Served over fluffy egg noodles to soak up the creamy sauce, this slow cooker meatball stroganoff is a comfort food dinner that the whole family will love!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- You can use any brand and variety of plain frozen meatballs that your family enjoys — bite-size meatballs, turkey meatballs, “homestyle” meatballs, beef meatballs, etc. We really like Simek’s original beef meatballs and Simek’s classic turkey meatballs. I do not recommend buying “Italian-style” frozen meatballs, because they contain herbs and spices that don’t pair as well in this dish.
- I prefer Campbell’s Heart Healthy condensed cream of mushroom soup, which has less sodium than the original. That said, any similar variety will work so pick your favorite. There are organic and gluten-free options, too.
- We like either white button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms (cremini). You can buy pre-sliced fresh mushrooms at most grocery stores, which cuts down on the prep work, too.
- You can substitute with light sour cream; however, full-fat sour cream yields a sauce with thicker, richer, creamier flavor and texture.
- Parsley or other fresh herbs like thyme and chives add the perfect bright, flavorful garnish on top — don’t skip these!
How to Make Beef Stroganoff with Meatballs in the Slow Cooker
Slow cooker meatball stroganoff is the ultimate weeknight dinner! It comes together easily and will be ready and waiting for you when your family is hungry. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Whisk together the condensed soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and ground black pepper. Set the sauce aside.
- Place the mushrooms and onions in the bottom of a slow cooker. You’ll want them at the bottom so that they’re closest to the heating elements. They will take the longest to cook through and soften.
- Add the frozen, fully-cooked meatballs on top of the veggies. There’s no need to thaw them first.
- Pour the sauce over top, cover the Crock Pot, and cook until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs are warmed through, about 4-6 hours on LOW or 2-3 hours on HIGH.
- Add the sour cream to the meatball mixture just before serving. It blends perfectly into the sauce, adding the perfect touch of “tang,” while truly making this dish taste like an authentic beef stroganoff recipe!
- Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and/or a dash of paprika.
Serving Suggestions
Crockpot meatball stroganoff is an easy way to get dinner on the table for your family — without the stress of standing over a hot stove. For a classic meal, serve the meatballs and rich sour cream sauce over cooked egg noodles. Instead of pasta, you can also offer the meatballs over cooked white rice, make-ahead garlic mashed potatoes, or alongside dill roasted potatoes.
For something green with the meatball Stroganoff, try these Arkansas green beans, a green bean casserole with frozen green beans, creamed peas, garlic roasted broccoli, a green salad dressed in Dijon vinaigrette, or our favorite house salad with candied pecans.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Slow Cooker Meatball Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (I use Campbells Heart Healthy variety)
- ¼ cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 large cloves)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 16 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 large (or 2 small) yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 24 ounces frozen fully-cooked meatballs (you don't need to thaw them first)
- ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- Optional, for serving: 12 ounces egg noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley, chives, or thyme; dash of paprika
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soup, broth, Worcestershire, garlic, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Place the mushrooms and onions in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the frozen meatballs. Pour the soup mixture over top. Cover and cook on LOW for about 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- Stir the sour cream into the slow cooker until it's completely blended into the sauce.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce with noodles, if desired. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and/or a dash of paprika.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- Add an extra 8-ounce container of sliced fresh mushrooms to the sauce if you like even more veggies.
- Stir a dollop of Dijon mustard into the sauce at the same time that you add the sour cream for a zesty kick.
- Instead of minced fresh garlic, use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Just about any fully-cooked, frozen meatballs will work here. Use turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs, for instance, if you don’t want pork or beef.
More Beef Stroganoff Recipes to Try
Ground Beef Stroganoff
45 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Beef Stroganoff Casserole
50 minutes mins
Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff
8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Originally published in September, 2015, this post was updated in April, 2025.
I absolutely love using my crock pot, especially on lazy weekends. It’s so nice to just let it work its magic! This meatball stroganoff looks delicious, Blair! Beef stroganoff is one of my favorites, so I love your unique twist!
Thanks, Gayle! Love that Crock Pot!
mine too! let’s have a crock pot party. i am part german so this is fitting! YES!
Yess!! Crock Pot Party!! 🙂
My mom always used to make beef stroganoff growing up. I love that you can make this super easy version in a crockpot!
Exactly, Chrissa! Just like your post today — Mom’s recipes are always best! 🙂
Next time I think our taste bud would prefer half the onion, double the mushrooms, and an extra can of cream of mushroom.
I use to make something similar to this for hubs. He loves stroganoff. It’s been a while so I might have to add this to this weeks meal plan. Plus you made it in a slow cooker. How can I say no to that!
Yes, make it Jen! My husband loves to have the leftover meatballs on a hoagie for lunch, too! 🙂
Yes i do the same thing with my home made bread made the same time when my wife comes home she says she can smell it all miles away, i dont believe miles , maybe down the street.
I absolutely LOVED the beef stroganoff my mom made growing up, but it’s completely slipped my mind to make for myself, for the past few years…and that needs to change now!! You’ve got me craving it again! And I love how fast and easy your version is to whip up, too! Yum!
I think all moms made stroganoff when we were growing up…such a classic, right?! 🙂 You’ll love how easy this version is!
I love this for a weeknight dinner! pinning to save for later!
Thanks so much, Sara!
Do you prefer to thaw the meatballs first or just toss them in frozen?
Either is fine, Lisa! If you use them frozen, you just might have to add some time to the cooking (an extra hour or so). 🙂
Can you make this recipe on the 8 hour setting on a crockpot and not ruin it?
Hi, Will! I’m not sure, since I’ve never tried that. I would worry that the meatballs would get dry, since they’re already cooked when you put them in the pot. Does your slow cooker have a “warm” setting? That might be the best option if you need to start it 8 hours ahead of time. My Crock Pot just automatically switches to the “warm” setting when it’s done cooking, so if I set the pot for 4 hours on low it will just keep the food warm for the rest of the time until I turn it off later.
Can I use meatballs that have not been cooked yet? raw pre made?
Hi, Wendy! Yes, I think that would work fine! If the meatballs are made with a fatty ground meat, you will have more fat in the slow cooker at the end (that’s the only problem that I can imagine). Let me know if you give it a try! 🙂
Any suggestions for what to substitute for the cream of mushroom soup? I have two finicky children who do not like the mushroom flavor. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi, Kathy! You can use a different “cream of…” soup such as cream of chicken or cream of celery. It will change the overall taste slightly, but it won’t be bad…and if it makes your kids happy, I say go for it! 🙂
Would I be able to make this recipe by adding the noodles in the crockpot dry? Maybe adding a bit more liquid? And if so, how much more liquid would be needed? I leave early for work and would want just a no-fuss, one pot meal to leave warm and ready for my husband to eat as I don’t return until late.
Hi, Kelly! I honestly have no idea. Yes, I’m sure that you could have your husband stir in the noodles during the final part of the cooking and they can finish right along with the rest of the dish. I’ve never actually tried it that way, though — so I’m not sure about how long the noodles would take or how much more liquid you would need to add. I’m sorry that I can’t be more helpful in that regard.
You have to be careful adding raw pasta. To me , since it’s cooking in the sauce, naturally the sauce is a little chalky to me. Why not not pre cook pasta night before to release a bunch if starch add precooked to crock . I think I would try this
Hi, I have a bag of bite size 64 count meatballs, thats all the store had , how many would i use from the bag for this recipe? Thanks
Hi, Loretta! It depends on how large the meatballs are. What is the total weight of your bag? Once you have the total weight, then you can estimate 24 ounces. For instance, if you have a 48 ounce bag, you’ll need to use half of the meatballs in the bag. Of course, if you have a food scale, that’s always the easiest way to determine or measure the exact amount. In this case, it’s not necessary thought! Hope that helps!
Hi Blair, it is a 32 ounce bag with approx. 64 count meatballs bite size …should i still use half the bag??
Okay! So if the 32 ounce bag contains 64 meatballs, that means that each of your meatballs is 0.5 ounces. You’ll need 48 of your meatballs to equal the 24 ounces called for in this recipe. Enjoy!
Thank you !! :0)
Thank you Blair for your help i really appreciate the reply to my question :0)
My husband introduced me to hamburger stroganoff 45 years ago. He used basically the same ingredients only a pound of raw chopped beef instead of meatballs. Noodles were cooked separately and while they were cooking the chopped beef was browning in a skillet with onions and spices. Excess fat was poured off and a can of cream of mushroom soup and 8 oz of sour cream was stirred into the skillet. It was ready in about 15 to 20 minutes. It served 2 of us for 2 nights. Tasted just as great the second day. To store leftovers the noodles are kept separately from the rest so as not to absorb all the sauce.
Yes, that’s a great meal, too! Thanks, Ann! 🙂
OMG Blair! My hubby was looking for a creative meatball recipe, and stumbled upon this! That’s when I became a subscriber! The only thing g I did different was use cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup, instof just regular cream of mushroom, and used a bit less garlic instead. Was so delicious!
Hi Trish! We’re so glad your husband found us and that you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.