Slow Cooker Enchilada Meatballs
No Comments Feb 23, 2024
Updated Jun 10, 2024
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Looking for a delicious and hassle-free meal that will satisfy the entire family? Look no further than Slow Cooker Enchilada Meatballs! Bursting with flavor and packed with protein, these enchilada meatballs are sure to become a staple in your meal planning.
Consider serving these meatballs for a game day appetizer along with my Slow Cooker Queso Spinach Dip and Slow Cooker Butterscotch Haystacks.
Table of Contents
What are Enchilada Meatballs?
Enchilada meatballs are a delicious combo of traditional Mexican flavors and classic meatball goodness. They are typically made by combining ground beef or chicken with a variety of spices, seasonings, and enchilada sauce, then forming them into meatballs and cooking them in a slow cooker until tender and juicy. I like to take the easy route and use a bag of frozen pre-cooked meatballs.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy meal, you’ll love the short prep time and quick cooking time. You only need a few ingredients, with the primary highlight being making your own homemade enchilada sauce. Get ready to make a dish your whole family will love! Other meatball recipe we love are crockpot barbecue meatballs, or jalapeno meatballs!
Recipe Ingredients
- Meatballs: You can go for 2 pounds of frozen meatballs or have a go at making your own batch of homemade meatballs. We use these same meatballs for crockpot honey garlic meatballs and crockpot meatball sliders.
- Enchilada Sauce: Skip the store bought and have a go at making your own (ingredients listed below).
- Shredded Cheese: I prefer to purchase the block and shred the cheese myself for optimal melting (and no caking). The most ideal for this recipe are cheddar, Mexican blend, and/or Monterrey Jack.
- Optional Toppings: Guacamole jalapenos, cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, tomatoes
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce: butter or oil , all-purpose flour, chicken broth, a can of tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and apple cider vinegar.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute.
Step Two – Whisk in the broth and simmer for 2 minutes.
Step Three – Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika and salt.
Step Four – Whisk the tomato sauce and tomato paste into the sauce.
Step Five – Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar.
Step Six – Place meatballs into the crockpot and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cover and cook on HIGH 2-4 hours if using frozen meatballs. Cook for 4 to 5 hours if using raw meatballs or 6-8 hours on LOW. Sprinkle with the cheese and cook for another 30 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
How to Serve
- You can’t go wrong by serving these as-is along with your favorite toppings such as extra shredded cheese, guacamole, diced tomatoes, freshly cut lime wedges, dice jalapenos, sour cream, and fresh cilantro. Use some of the remaining enchilada sauce for drizzling.
- While these enchilada meatballs are delicious on their own, they also pair well with a variety of side dishes such as Mexican rice, mashed potatoes, or slow cooker cornbread. You can even serve them over a bed of crushed tortilla chips for a fun twist.
Recipe FAQs
For those following a gluten-free or keto diet, you can easily adapt this recipe by using gluten-free enchilada sauce, and use gluten free meatballs. Serve them over cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, simply warm them up in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or extra enchilada sauce to prevent them from drying out.
Yes, you can prepare the meatballs and red enchilada sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook. You can also assemble the meatballs and sauce and freeze them before cooking, then thaw and cook them in the slow cooker when needed. Additionally, you can make the entire dish ahead of time and reheat it before serving, making it a convenient option for busy weeknights or entertaining.
More Mexican-Inspired Slow Cooker Recipes
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Slow Cooker Enchilada Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen meatballs or homemade meatballs
- 2 cups enchilada sauce (recipe below, or use canned)
Homemade Enchilada Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons butter or oil
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. Mexican oregano
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Toppings ideas
- 1 cup shredded cheese, cheddar, Mexican blend, Monterrey Jack
- guacamole, jalapenos, cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, tomatoes
Instructions
- Pour the meatballs into the crockpot.
- Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute on the stovetop. Whisk in the broth and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Whisk the tomato sauce and tomato paste into the sauce. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika and salt.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and cover with a lid. Set on low for 2-4 hours if using frozen meatballs, or 4 to 5 hours if using raw meatballs or 6-8 hours on low.
- Sprinkle with the cheese and cook for another 30 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Sarah’s Notes
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, simply warm them up in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or extra enchilada sauce to prevent them from drying out.
- Yes, you can prepare the meatballs and red enchilada sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook. You can also assemble the meatballs and sauce and freeze them before cooking, then thaw and cook them in the slow cooker when needed. Additionally, you can make the entire dish ahead of time and reheat it before serving, making it a convenient option for busy weeknights or entertaining.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
