Crockpot Mississippi Meatballs (Printable Version)

Tender meatballs slow-cooked with savory ranch, au jus, and tangy pepperoncini peppers for an effortless crowd-pleasing dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1 bag (26 ounces) frozen meatballs

→ Seasonings

02 - 1 packet au jus gravy mix
03 - 1 packet ranch seasoning mix

→ Peppers

04 - 1 jar (16 ounces) sliced pepperoncini peppers with juice

→ Liquids and Fats

05 - 1/2 cup water
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Place frozen meatballs in the bottom of a slow cooker
02 - Sprinkle au jus gravy mix and ranch seasoning mix evenly over the meatballs
03 - Pour entire jar of sliced pepperoncini peppers with juice over the meatballs
04 - Add 1/2 cup water to the slow cooker
05 - Scatter diced butter over the top of the mixture
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are heated through and sauce is well combined
07 - Serve hot as an appetizer with toothpicks, or over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice as a main dish

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It requires about ten minutes of actual hands-on time and then you can forget about it while the slow cooker does the heavy lifting.
  • The combination of ranch, au jus, and pepperoncini creates this unexpectedly complex flavor that tastes far more involved than it actually is.
  • It transforms a bag of frozen meatballs into something that feels homemade and special enough to serve to people whose opinions you care about.
  • Whether you're feeding a crowd or just looking for something hearty to eat over pasta, this recipe adapts beautifully to whatever you need it to be.
02 -
  • The pepperoncini juice is not something to drain away—it's what transforms this from a basic meatball situation into something with actual personality and complexity.
  • If you prefer things less spicy or less intensely briny, you can use only half the pepper juice and still have plenty of flavor, but I'd encourage you to try the full amount at least once before adjusting.
  • Stirring occasionally isn't just a suggestion; it helps the seasoning packets dissolve evenly and keeps the sauce from separating, so set a gentle reminder if you're the type to get distracted.
03 -
  • Buy good quality frozen meatballs if your budget allows—they're made of better meat and brown up nicely during the cooking process, giving the sauce a deeper flavor than the cheapest brands.
  • Room temperature ingredients actually work better than cold ones in a slow cooker because the cooker has to spend less time bringing everything up to temperature, so don't worry about thawing but also don't stress if you grabbed things straight from the fridge.
  • If you're making this for a party, you can keep the crockpot on WARM for several hours after cooking, which makes it perfect for a buffet-style gathering where people arrive and eat at different times.
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