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The recipe that saves dinner when you’ve got zero energy left but still want something that tastes like a hug.
Alright. So here’s what happened—one evening, I had a fridge full of nothing, a freezer full of meatballs I forgot I bought, and exactly no desire to turn on the oven or wash another pan. You ever have one of those days? The kind where the idea of “making dinner” feels like someone asked you to run a marathon in house slippers?
Anyway, I started throwing things into the slow cooker. A can of mushroom soup. Some leftover Velveeta. Half a sad onion. It didn’t look promising, I’ll be honest. But three hours later, I had this warm, cheesy, mushroomy, meatball miracle that my family inhaled like it was a five-star meal. My teenager literally licked the spoon. (I didn’t stop him.)
And now? This one’s on repeat.
Why This One’s a Keeper
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You don’t have to think. Just toss it in and go.
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It’s rich, creamy, and cheesy in all the right ways.
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The mushrooms make it feel a little fancy. Even if you’re wearing pajama pants.
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Perfect over noodles, rice, toast, or straight outta the slow cooker.
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Leftovers are the best. Even cold.
What You’ll Need (and how to make it work with what you’ve got)
A big ol’ bag of frozen meatballs (64 oz)
Beef, turkey, whatever. I just make sure they’re thawed first so everything cooks evenly. (Forgot to thaw them? Been there. You’ll just need a little extra time.)
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
The old-school kind. Don’t worry—once it melts with the cheese and onions, it tastes like something way fancier.
1 package mushrooms (8 oz)
Button, baby bellas, whatever you can find. Slice ’em up. If you’re not a mushroom person, you can skip ’em—but they really round things out.
1 yellow onion, chopped
Finely, or roughly—depends on your energy level. It melts into the sauce and gives that little bit of sweetness that makes it all better.
1 block of Velveeta or sharp cheddar (16 oz), cubed
Look, I know Velveeta’s polarizing. But it melts like a dream. Sharp cheddar gives more flavor, but doesn’t get quite as smooth. You pick your cheese adventure.
Salt & pepper
Go light—cheese and soup already bring plenty of flavor. You can always add more later.
Egg noodles (optional but delicious)
Or rice. Or mashed potatoes. Or toasted buns. You really can’t go wrong here.
Let’s Throw This Together
1. Pile it all in the slow cooker.
Meatballs first, then mushrooms, onions, soup, and cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir if you feel like it. If not? It’ll all melt together anyway. No judgment.
2. Lid on. Cook. Walk away.
Set it to LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 3. Stir it once halfway through if you remember. If you don’t, it’s not the end of the world. Everything melts, everything mingles.
3. Give it a stir at the end.
The cheese should be melted into a rich, dreamy sauce. The mushrooms softened, the onions almost disappeared. Taste it. Add a pinch of salt if it needs it.
4. Scoop and serve.
Ladle over noodles, rice, or whatever carb you’ve got hanging around. Or pile it into a soft hoagie roll with a little extra cheese on top. Heaven.
Want to Fancy It Up a Bit?
If you’re feeling like showing off (or just cleaning out the fridge), here are a few fun twists:
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Add a splash of Worcestershire or soy sauce – adds depth and a little zing.
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Swap half the Velveeta for pepper jack – gives it a kick.
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Use cream of chicken instead of mushroom – a little milder, still creamy.
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Add a handful of baby spinach near the end – a sneaky veggie moment.
Leftovers? Oh, You’ll Want Them.
Fridge:
Pop ‘em in a container, they’ll keep for 4-ish days. The sauce thickens up and gets even better overnight.
Freezer:
Yes, yes, yes. Let it cool, freeze in portions. It reheats beautifully—just add a splash of milk when you warm it up.
Reheat:
Microwave, stovetop, even the slow cooker again if you’re feeling chill. Add a bit of liquid if it gets too thick. Or do what I do and microwave a scoop for a midnight snack and eat it standing in front of the fridge.
Last Thing Before You Go
Listen—this isn’t a gourmet recipe. You’re not winning any fancy awards for it. But that’s not the point. This is the meal you make when you’re tired, hungry, and just want something really good without a whole production. It’s cozy. It’s creamy. It’s pure comfort in a bowl.
And if your kids go back for thirds or your partner says “Wait, you made this?”—well, that’s the real win.
Let me know how it goes if you try it. Or don’t—just know I’m cheering you on either way.
Now go put your feet up.
Cheesy Mushroom Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 (64 oz.) package fully cooked (frozen) meatballs, thawed
- 2 (10.75 oz.) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (8 oz.) package button or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 (16 oz.) package velveeta cheese or sharp cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- to taste salt and pepper
- optional egg noodles, for serving
Instructions
- Place thawed meatballs in the slow cooker.
- Top with sliced mushrooms, chopped onion, cream of mushroom soup, and cubed Velveeta or cheddar cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours, stirring halfway through, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
- Serve hot, optionally over egg noodles or rice.
Notes