Description
Crockpot Mississippi Meatballs are a savory and creamy slow cooker dish featuring tender frozen meatballs simmered in a flavorful sauce made from au jus mix, ranch dressing, beef broth, heavy cream, and tangy pepperoncini juice. This easy, set-it-and-forget-it recipe is perfect for a comforting meal served over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles, or as a crowd-pleasing appetizer at parties.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 packet au jus mix
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Juice from pepperoncini peppers (about ¼ cup)
Meatballs and Garnish
- 1 bag (about 24 ounces) frozen beef or homestyle meatballs
- 6–8 whole pepperoncini peppers
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce mix. In a bowl, whisk together the au jus mix, ranch dressing mix, beef broth, heavy cream, and the juice from the pepperoncini peppers until well combined, forming a smooth and flavorful sauce base.
- Add frozen meatballs to slow cooker. Place the frozen meatballs directly into the bottom of the crockpot without thawing to keep prep quick and easy.
- Combine sauce and meatballs. Pour the prepared sauce mixture evenly over the frozen meatballs, then tuck whole pepperoncini peppers throughout the crockpot to infuse gentle heat and acidity while cooking.
- Cook the meatballs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and for the meatballs to absorb all the savory, creamy flavors.
- Serve and enjoy. Once cooked, serve the meatballs warm over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles. For parties, serve them as cocktail meatballs with toothpicks for easy grabbing and sharing.
Notes
- Use quality frozen beef or homestyle meatballs for the best flavor. If using homemade meatballs, pre-bake them before adding to the slow cooker.
- Don’t skip using pepperoncini juice; it adds essential tanginess to balance the rich sauce.
- Au jus mix provides a lighter, more savory sauce, while gravy mix creates a thicker, saltier sauce. Either can be used based on preference.
- Heavy cream enriches the sauce and balances acidity; substitute half-and-half for a lighter version or Greek yogurt/evaporated milk to reduce fat.
- Avoid overcooking to prevent meatballs from becoming too soft. Turn off the slow cooker promptly after cooking.
- This dish reheats well and can be doubled for meal prep or leftovers.
- For a spicy kick, add crushed red pepper flakes or extra pepperoncini peppers.
- For a cheesy twist, stir in ½ cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese at the end of cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 6 meatballs with sauce)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
