This 5-ingredient Slow Cooker Meatball and Potato Stew is the kind of weeknight recipe I lean on when the day gets away from me. You literally dump frozen meatballs and cubed russet potatoes into the crock, add three pantry-friendly ingredients, turn it on, and walk away. The result is a cozy, gravy-style stew that tastes like it simmered on the stove all afternoon. While there’s no specific historic origin here, it’s very much in the spirit of Midwestern slow cooker cooking: hearty, practical, and designed to keep everyone happily full with minimal fuss.
🍲 Slow Cooker Meatball & Potato Stew
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds frozen fully cooked meatballs
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
👩🍳 Directions
- Prep: Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of oil or nonstick spray to make cleanup easier.
- Layer Potatoes: Add the cubed russet potatoes to the bottom of the slow cooker, spreading them into an even layer so they cook evenly.
- Add Meatballs: Pour the frozen meatballs directly on top of the potatoes, distributing them so they’re in a mostly single layer. Do not thaw the meatballs first; they go in straight from the freezer.
- Make Gravy: In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, and dry onion soup mix until mostly smooth. This mixture will become the savory gravy for the stew.
- Combine: Pour the soup mixture evenly over the meatballs and potatoes, gently nudging with a spoon so most of the meatballs and potatoes are coated. Do not stir vigorously; you want the potatoes to stay in a layer on the bottom.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork and the meatballs are heated through.
- Finish: Once cooked, gently stir from the bottom to coat the potatoes and meatballs in the thickened sauce. If the stew seems too thick, you can loosen it with a splash of additional warm beef broth; if it seems thin, leave the lid off and cook on HIGH for another 15 to 20 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (the onion soup mix is salty, so you may not need extra salt). Ladle into bowls and serve hot.