okay so I have to tell you about the meal that basically saved my entire winter.
like, I’m not being dramatic.
it was one of those weeks. you know the ones. where everything feels like too much and the idea of standing at a stove for an hour sounds genuinely impossible. my mom called me twice and I didn’t pick up. I’d been stress-scrolling TikToks until midnight and waking up tired. classic.
and I had this bag of baby potatoes just… sitting there. judging me.
so I threw stuff in the slow cooker before work, half asleep, honestly not even sure I did it right. came home eight hours later and my whole apartment smelled like someone’s grandma had been cooking all day.
I cried a little. not gonna lie.
that was the day this stew became my thing.
Contents
Why It Works
the meatballs get this soft, almost falling-apart texture that you just can’t get on the stovetop
the potatoes soak up all that broth and become genuinely life-changing
it’s the kind of meal that tastes like you tried really hard even though you absolutely did not
leftovers are somehow better the next day, which feels illegal
you can make it on a Sunday and coast through the whole week feeling like you have your life together
What You’ll Need
okay here’s the stuff. I’m being loose with some measurements because honestly that’s just how I cook and it always turns out fine.
| Ingredient | Amount | My Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen or fresh meatballs | about 20-24 | I use frozen. zero shame. |
| Baby potatoes | maybe 1.5 lbs | halved, or don’t bother, up to you |
| Beef broth | around 3 cups | low sodium if you’re watching that |
| Diced tomatoes (canned) | one 14oz can | don’t drain it, use all the juice |
| Onion | 1 medium | rough chop, it’s gonna cook down anyway |
| Garlic | a lot | like 4-5 cloves, maybe more |
| Tomato paste | couple tablespoons | gives it that deep color |
| Worcestershire sauce | a good splash | just eyeball it |
| Italian seasoning | probably a tablespoon? | or shake it until it feels right |
| Salt and pepper | to taste | taste as you go |
| Carrots | 2-3 | chunked up |
| Fresh parsley | handful | for the top at the end |
Let’s Make It
Throw everything in.
seriously, that’s the move. potatoes on the bottom because they take longer. then carrots. then meatballs on top. pour the broth, the canned tomatoes, the tomato paste, the worcestershire, all of it right over everything.
no, you don’t need to brown the meatballs first. I know some recipes say that. I skipped it the first time out of laziness and honestly couldn’t tell the difference. so. whatever.
Add your onion and garlic.
scatter them in there wherever. the garlic is gonna mellow out and get all sweet and soft. the onion just kind of disappears into the broth in the best way.
don’t stress about making it look pretty. it’s a slow cooker. it’s gonna get messy and stirred up anyway.
Season it.
sprinkle in your Italian seasoning, some salt and pepper. give it one little stir if you want. or just let it sit. it’ll figure itself out.
Put the lid on and walk away.
this is the part I love. LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours. I always do low because I’m leaving for work. set it and forget it and go scroll Instagram and live your life.
when you come home your house is going to smell unreal. that’s not an exaggeration.
Taste and fix it.
before you serve, taste the broth. need more salt? add it. want it a little thicker? mash a couple of the potatoes right in the pot with a fork. stir it around. it thickens right up.
Top it and serve.
chop up some fresh parsley and throw it on top. crusty bread on the side if you’re feeling fancy. I usually am.
Tips & Variations
- no fresh meatballs on hand? frozen works completely fine, I’ve done it a hundred times — just make sure they’re not the super tiny cocktail ones or they’ll kind of dissolve
- want more vegetables? toss in some green beans or frozen peas in the last 30 minutes so they don’t get mushy
- make it thicker by stirring in a slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water) about 20 minutes before serving with the lid off on high
- spice it up with a pinch of red pepper flakes if your household is into that — my sister always asks me to do this and I always forget and she always reminds me lol
Storage (and a Story About Why I Label Things Now)
okay so. I went through a phase where I was very confidently NOT labeling my freezer containers because I was like, “I’ll remember what this is.”
I did not remember.
I defrosted something I was completely convinced was this stew and it was… a soup. some kind of bean situation from like two months before. I ate it anyway because I was hungry. but still.
label your containers. I’m begging you.
fridge: keeps really well for about 4 days in a sealed container. the broth thickens up overnight which I actually love.
freezer: freeze it for up to 3 months. let it cool completely first. write what it is AND the date on the container. learn from me.
reheating: stovetop over medium low with a splash of extra broth to loosen it up. or microwave it, no judgment.
Nutrition (Approximate, Per Serving)
based on roughly 6 servings. these numbers will shift depending on your meatball brand and how heavy-handed you are with ingredients. which, same.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~380 |
| Protein | 22g |
| Carbohydrates | 30g |
| Fat | 16g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Sodium | 720mg |
| Sugar | 5g |
FAQs
can I use homemade meatballs instead of store bought?
absolutely yes, and they’ll be amazing. I just personally don’t always have the energy to make meatballs from scratch on a weeknight. if you do, make them on the smaller side so they cook evenly in the slow cooker.
my potatoes are still kind of firm after 8 hours, what happened?
ugh, this happened to me once too. turns out I had my slow cooker on warm instead of low. it happens. just crank it to high for another hour and they’ll get there. also cutting them smaller helps a lot.
can I add pasta or rice to this?
you can, but I’d cook them separately and add them in at the end. if you put dry pasta straight into the slow cooker it gets weird and gluey. trust me on this one. been there.
does it work in an instant pot?
yes! pressure cook on high for about 15 minutes with a natural release. I’ve done this when I forgot to start the slow cooker in the morning and was too impatient to wait. works great.
