Slow Cooker Mississippi Meatballs With Frozen Meatballs

These Slow Cooker Mississippi Meatballs are tender, savory, buttery, and packed with the tangy flavor of pepperoncini peppers. Made with frozen meatballs, ranch seasoning, au jus gravy mix, butter, and pepperoncini, this easy dump-and-go appetizer requires only a few minutes of prep.

Why You’ll Love This Simple Slow Cooker Recipe

• Fast preparation. Add the ingredients to the slow cooker in about five minutes.
• No precooking required. Frozen fully cooked meatballs can go directly into the crockpot.
• Perfect for parties. Serve the meatballs with toothpicks directly from the slow cooker.
• Easy enough for dinner. Pair them with potatoes, noodles, rice, or vegetables.
• Minimal cleanup. The entire recipe cooks in one appliance.

Serve these crockpot Mississippi meatballs at parties, potlucks, holiday gatherings, or game-day celebrations. They are also delicious spooned over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice for an easy weeknight dinner.

What Do Slow Cooker Mississippi Meatballs Taste Like?

These meatballs are rich, beefy, buttery, and savory with a mild tang from the pepperoncini peppers.

The ranch seasoning adds garlic, herbs, and creaminess, while the au jus mix gives the sauce a deeper roasted-beef flavor. Pepperoncini juice cuts through the richness and keeps the dish from tasting too heavy.

The finished sauce is thinner than a traditional barbecue meatball sauce, but it coats each meatball with plenty of Mississippi-style flavor.

Ingredients To Grab

• Frozen meatballs- Frozen, fully cooked beef meatballs make this recipe quick and convenient. Homestyle meatballs are a good choice because their neutral seasonings pair well with the ranch, au jus, and pepperoncini.
• Ranch seasoning mix– A packet of dry ranch seasoning adds garlic, onion, herbs, and a lightly creamy flavor.
• Au jus gravy mix– Dry au jus mix gives the meatballs a rich, beefy flavor. It also helps season the cooking liquid.
• Pepperoncini peppers– Add the liquid from the pepperoncini jar to brighten the sauce.
• Butter– Butter creates the rich flavor associated with Mississippi-style recipes.
• Beef broth– Beef broth provides enough liquid to help distribute the seasonings and create a spoonable sauce.

How to Make Mississippi Meatballs in the Slow Cooker

Add the frozen meatballs. Place the frozen, fully cooked meatballs in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. There is no need to thaw or brown them first.

Mix the sauce. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add in the beef broth, pepperoncini juice, dry ranch dressing, and the au jus packet. Whisk until well combined.

Slow cook the meatballs. Cover the slow cooker and cook:

• On LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or
• On HIGH for 2 to 3 hours

Thicken (optional). With about 30 minutes left in the cooking time, mix 2 tbsp of the gravy in the bottom of the slow cooker with 2 tbsp of cornstarch to create a slurry. Pour it into the slow cooker and gently stir the meatballs. The meatballs are ready when they are hot throughout, and the sauce is thickened.

Stir and serve. Stir the meatballs gently to coat them in the buttery pepperoncini sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Tips And Tricks

There’s not much easier than a pour and cook slow cooker recipe. To make sure this recipe turns out perfect every time, read over these tips and tricks before you get started:

• Use unsalted butter. Ranch seasoning, au jus mix, broth, and frozen meatballs can all contain sodium. Unsalted butter helps prevent the sauce from becoming excessively salty.
• Choose low-sodium broth. Low-sodium beef broth gives you more control over the final flavor. Taste the finished sauce before adding salt.
• Do not add too much liquid. Frozen meatballs release some moisture as they heat. Begin with the recommended amount of broth so the sauce does not become watery.
• Leave the lid closed. Opening the slow cooker releases heat and can extend the cooking time. Stir the meatballs near the end rather than repeatedly checking them.
• Do not overcook the meatballs. Frozen meatballs are already fully cooked. They only need enough time to heat through and absorb the sauce. Cooking them much longer than necessary may make their texture too soft.

Variations

Our family loves this dish just the way the recipe is written, but you can switch it up SO many ways to make it your family’s next dinnertime obsession. Here are a few ideas:

• Creamy Mississippi Meatballs– Add 4 ounces of softened cream cheese during the final 30 minutes of cooking. Stir until smooth and fully incorporated into the sauce.
• Spicy Mississippi Meatballs– Add sliced jalapeños, crushed red pepper flakes, or several hot pepperoncini peppers for extra heat.
• Mississippi Meatballs With Brown Gravy– Replace the au jus mix with a packet of brown gravy mix. The sauce may become slightly thicker and have a more traditional gravy flavor.
• Turkey Mississippi Meatballs– Use fully cooked frozen turkey meatballs for a lighter option. The cooking method remains the same.

What to Serve With Mississippi Meatballs

These meatballs work equally well as an appetizer or a main dish. Here are some of my favorite things to serve with them:

• Mashed potatoes– Creamy mashed potatoes soak up the buttery ranch and pepperoncini sauce. This pairing creates a comforting dinner inspired by Mississippi pot roast.
• Egg noodles– Spoon the meatballs and sauce over wide egg noodles for a quick, family-friendly meal.
• White rice– Rice provides a mild base that balances the rich, tangy meatball sauce.
• Crusty bread– Serve the meatballs with sliced French bread or dinner rolls for dipping into the sauce.
• Party appetizers– Serve these crockpot meatballs alongside sliders, chicken wings, sausage dip, stuffed mushrooms, or a vegetable tray.

How Long Do They Last?

Allow the meatballs to cool before transferring them to an airtight container.

Refrigerate the meatballs and sauce for up to 4 days. The butter may firm up in the refrigerator, but it will melt back into the sauce during reheating.

Can You Freeze them?

Yes. Let the cooked meatballs and sauce cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw the meatballs overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The sauce may separate slightly after freezing, but stirring it as it warms will help bring it back together.

More Simple Slow Cooker Meals

• Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
• Crockpot Mac and Cheese
• Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
• Slow Cooker Chicken And Dumplings
• Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

These Slow Cooker Mississippi Meatballs deliver big flavor with almost no prep work. Save the recipe for your next game day, holiday party, potluck, or busy weeknight when you need an easy appetizer or comforting dinner everyone can enjoy.

Slow Cooker Mississippi Meatballs With Frozen Meatballs

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Make easy Slow Cooker Mississippi Meatballs with frozen meatballs, ranch seasoning, au jus, butter, and pepperoncini. Perfect for parties or dinner!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 32 ounces Frozen Beef Meatballs
• 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup Low Sodium Beef Broth
• 1 ounce Au Jus Seasoning
• 1 ounce Dry Ranch Dressing
• 1 cup Pepperoncini Juice
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 2 tbsp Water

Method

 

1. Place the frozen meatballs in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Combine melted butter, pepperoncini juice, beef broth, au jus seasoning, and dry ranch dressing in a bowl. Whisk until well combined.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours.
4. (OPTIONAL) Combine 2 tbsp of the gravy in the slow cooker with 2 tbsp of cornstarch to create a curry. Stir it back into the gravy and meatballs, and allow it to cook for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Stir gently to coat the meatballs with the thickened sauce.
6. Garnish with parsley and serve warm as an appetizer or main dish.

Notes

• Use fully cooked frozen meatballs.
• There is no need to thaw the meatballs first.
• Low-sodium broth and unsalted butter help control the salt level.
• The pepperoncini juice adds tang but only mild heat.
• Use four tablespoons of butter instead of six for a lighter sauce.
• Keep cooked meatballs warm in the slow cooker during parties.

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