Slow Cooker Enchilada Meatballs
Crockpot enchilada meatballs combine frozen homestyle meatballs with red enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, and melted fiesta cheese. The meatballs simmer in smoky enchilada sauce until tender and flavorful. Perfect for game day appetizers, easy weeknight dinners, potlucks, or Taco Tuesday! Ready in 4 hours on low in the slow cooker, it feeds 6 people and costs under $20 using simple ingredients.
Meatballs are a life-saver when it comes to feeding my family. They are budget-friendly, hearty, and easy to use straight from the freezer. I love them when I am craving a steak, a burger, or just some comfort food that doesn’t take a long time to make.
Not only that, but meatballs are easy to prep and you can serve them so many different ways. If you need an easy appetizer for your party, something you can make with sauce to serve over rice, or add them to a soup or sandwich, meatballs are just the thing!
And making them in the slow cooker is even better. Add your sauce or seasoning, cover, and let them slow cook, while you do anything else like clean, or relax.
Since we love tacos in our house, these enchilada meatballs are a new way to enjoy all the flavors, but with less work. No browning meatballs, no watching the stove, no oven required. Just and easy dinner, like these lazy enchiladas, and all the happy faces afterwards!
More Slow Cooker Meatballs
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs – Easy, tangy-sweet favorite
- Grape Jelly Meatballs – Retro party classic
- BBQ Meatballs – Smoky sauce, crowd-pleaser
- Hot Honey Meatballs – Sweet heat with extra flavor
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Meatballs – Store-bought frozen meatballs or make some homemade meatballs. The 32 oz bag is standard size and usually contains about 50-60 meatballs. You don’t have to thaw them before adding!
- Spices – adds Tex-Mex flavor. Use a store-bought packet or make homemade taco seasoning for better flavor and less salt.
- Red Enchilada Sauce – Use canned or jarred red enchilada sauce (not green). Mild, medium, or hot all work depending on how hot you like it.
- Cheese – I like to use a fiesta blend which contains cheddar, Monterey Jack, quesadilla cheese, and Asadero cheeses. Regular shredded Mexican blend or sharp cheddar works too.
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How To Make Enchilada Meatballs
- Mix taco seasoning and red enchilada sauce in a medium bowl until combined. Spray the inside of an 8-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray (or use a liner). Add the frozen meatballs to the slow cooker. Pour the sauce mixture over the meatballs and stir until they’re all coated with sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, stirring every hour. Sprinkle shredded fiesta cheese all over the top of the meatballs. Put the lid back on and let it sit for 5 minutes until the cheese melts completely and serve.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Serving Suggestions
- As an Appetizer: Serve straight from the crockpot with toothpicks for easy party food.
- Over Rice: Spoon meatballs and sauce over white rice, Mexican rice, or cilantro lime rice for a complete dinner.
- In Tortillas: Stuff into flour or corn tortillas with extra cheese for enchilada meatball tacos.
- Over Nachos: Chop into quarters and layer over tortilla chips with the cheese sauce for loaded enchilada meatball nachos.
- In Subs: Pile into hoagie rolls with extra cheese for yummy meatball subs.
- With Sides: Serve alongside refried beans, Mexican street corn, or tortilla chips and salsa.
- Breakfast Style: Serve over scrambled eggs or in breakfast burritos for Tex-Mex breakfast.
- Toppings: Sprinkle them with chopped cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo, salsa, or any of your favorite taco toppings.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Pour any extra sauce over the top to keep them moist.
Freezer: Cool completely and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or reheat in a pot on the stove until heated through. If you want to serve them in the crockpot again, I recommend heating in the microwave or oven and then returning to the slow cooker and keep on low. Add a little extra water or enchilada sauce if the sauce level is low.
Make-Ahead: Assemble everything in the slow cooker insert the night before, cover, and refrigerate. In the morning, take the base out of the fridge and let sit out for 15 minutes to warm up. Then place in the base and turn on to cook.
Variations
Spicier Version: Use hot enchilada sauce or add diced jalapeños and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the sauce mixture.
Green Enchilada Meatballs: Use green enchilada sauce instead of red for tangier, brighter flavor.
Different Meat: Use turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs for lighter options.
Creamy Version: Stir in ½ cup sour cream or cream cheese during the last 30 minutes. This makes the sauce really creamy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Cooked homemade meatballs work perfectly. Add them to the slow cooker and continue as usual. Just be sure to crown them first so they don’t fall apart.
No you don’t. That’s what’s so great about them. Add them frozen directly to the slow cooker. They’ll cook perfectly from frozen during the 4 hours.
Yes! Cook on high for 3 hours instead of low for 4 hours if you’re short on time. The meatballs will still be tender and flavorful.
Assemble everything in the slow cooker bowl the night before and refrigerate. In the morning, put the insert in the base and turn it on. Add extra cooking time since it’s starting cold.
Yes! Cool completely and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat.
An 8-quart slow cooker is ideal but a 6-quart works fine. Don’t use anything smaller than 6 quarts or the meatballs won’t fit and it will be tough to stir them.
Absolutely! Green enchilada sauce creates tangier, brighter flavor. Both versions are delicious. You can even use plain taco sauce and enchilada seasoning if that’s what you have.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or use a liner before. This makes cleanup so much easier!
- Don’t thaw the frozen meatballs. They cook from frozen just fine and thawing makes them mushy.
- Stir every hour or so during cooking to keep the meatballs coated in sauce and prevent sticking. Set a timer so you don’t forget!
- Mix the taco seasoning and enchilada sauce together before pouring over meatballs. This distributes the seasoning so you don’t have clumps in the sauce.
- Add cheese only at the very end and let it melt with the lid on. Adding it earlier makes it separate and get oily.
- Use an 8-quart slow cooker for best results. Smaller sizes work but the meatballs will be more crowded.
These slow cooker enchilada meatballs are an easy and delicious recipe for Taco Tuesday the whole family will love!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Slow Cooker Enchilada Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 ounce homestyle meatballs frozen
- 1 ounce taco seasoning 1 packet
- 10 oz red enchilada sauce
- 1 ½ cups fiesta blend cheese shredded
Instructions
- Add the entire bag of meatballs to an 8 quart slow cooker.
- Mix the taco seasoning and enchilada sauce in a bowl until combined.
- Pour over the meatballs and stir until the balls are completely coated.
- Cook on low for 4 hours stirring every so often.
- Once done cooking, sprinkle the cheese all over top and place the lid on for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or use a liner before. This makes cleanup so much easier!
- Don’t thaw the frozen meatballs. They cook from frozen just fine and thawing makes them mushy.
- Stir every hour or so during cooking to keep the meatballs coated in sauce and prevent sticking. Set a timer so you don’t forget!
- Mix the taco seasoning and enchilada sauce together before pouring over meatballs. This distributes the seasoning so you don’t have clumps in the sauce.
- Add cheese only at the very end and let it melt with the lid on. Adding it earlier makes it separate and get oily.
- Use an 8-quart slow cooker for best results. Smaller sizes work but the meatballs will be more crowded.
Nutrition
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