There are times when I buy a big bag of meatballs and only use half of it for a recipe. And then I’m left wondering what I should do with the rest.

I like coming up with new ideas, and experimenting with foods like meatballs as the main ingredient. This meatball stroganoff recipe comes together super quick with just a few simple ingredients! It has a creamy sauce and is delicious served over pasta. This is perfect comfort food!

Scroll to the bottom to get to the recipe card, or keep reading for extra tips and tricks!

What’s the difference between this and Swedish meatballs?

I’ll be honest, I had to look this up because I had no idea. Each one is apparently its own classic dish!

A classic beef stroganoff consists of beef strips made in a rich sour cream sauce. Swedish meatballs are made in a creamy mushroom sauce.

So, my dish is meatballs in a mushroom AND sour cream sauce. So maybe it’s neither. But I don’t claim it’s a traditional beef stroganoff- it’s just delicious!

I mean, I’ve also made ground beef stroganoff before. It’s nowhere near authentic, but it still tastes good.

Ingredients

Frozen meatballs

Milk

Cream of mushroom soup

Black pepper (I use about 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and you may need up to 1/2 teaspoon salt depending on how you like it)

Paprika

Sour cream

Pasta

What kind of meatballs work best?

I’m a huge fan of frozen meatballs because they’re so easy and I know I get perfect meatballs every time. I typically buy plain beef meatballs, but Italian style meatballs or turkey meatballs would be just fine!

If you plan to use homemade meatballs, I recommend cooking those ahead of time because I don’t know how long they’ll take to cook on the stovetop.

If you’re looking for a homemade meatball recipe, this one is what I use a lot! It takes a little extra time to make your own, but they taste amazing. They’re made with simple ingredients- ground meat (Lean ground beef, ground turkey, etc.), bread crumbs, egg, and some spices.

Can I make this in my slow cooker?

I’ve never tried, but you might be able to make this in your crock pot! Add everything except the sour cream and pasta. And try cooking on LOW for 5 hours. Then you can add the sour cream at the end and cook the pasta when you’re ready to eat.

How to make

In a large skillet, add meatballs, milk, and soup. Turn to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot according to the package directions.

Add the pepper and paprika and stir, then cook another 5-10 minutes until the meatballs are fully heated through.

Turn down the heat to low, then add sour cream.

Stir and heat another 2 minutes.

Serve on top of pasta, with your favorite sides.

How to store

Once this has cooled to room temperature, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Use up within 3-5 days.

One of my favorite things is eating leftovers the next day. And the best part is, this makes a ton!

What to serve with this

My favorite sides are frozen vegetables! It’s so easy for me to throw a bag of frozen broccoli in the microwave while this is cooking. I’ve also eaten this with Brussels sprouts and green beans.

Another good option is a side salad. Make your own, or use the salad kits you can find at the grocery store to save some time!

If you’re not a fan of pasta, you could also serve this on top of mashed potatoes instead.

More Meatball Recipes

Want some more ways to use up leftover meatballs? Check out my roundup post of meatball recipes!

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