Crockpot spaghetti gives you a meat sauce that tastes like it simmered all day, because it did, and the pasta cooks right in the sauce at the end. Brown the beef in the morning, add the sauce ingredients, and 6 hours later break in the spaghetti.
It is one-pot comfort food the whole family will eat.
Why You Will Love This Crockpot Spaghetti
- All-day flavor. The sauce deepens as it simmers.
- One pot. The pasta cooks in the sauce.
- Freezer friendly sauce. Make a double batch.
- Kid favorite. Classic spaghetti and meat sauce.
Ingredients for Crockpot Spaghetti
- Ground beef: 1 1/2 lb (680 g), browned and drained. Ground turkey works too.
- Spaghetti: 12 oz (340 g) uncooked, broken in half.
- Sauce: Marinara, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste with Italian herbs.
How to Make Crockpot Spaghetti
Step 1: Brown the beef
Brown the beef and onion in a skillet, drain the fat, and stir in the garlic.
Step 2: Build the sauce
Add the beef, marinara, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, sugar and salt to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Step 3: Slow cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
Step 4: Cook the pasta
Turn to HIGH. Stir in the water and the broken spaghetti, pressing it under the sauce. Cover and cook 25 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
Step 5: Serve
Top with parmesan and basil.
Tips for the Best Crockpot Spaghetti
- Stir the pasta. Stirring every 10 minutes keeps it from clumping.
- Keep pasta submerged. Exposed noodles stay hard.
- Or cook pasta separately. For leftovers, boil pasta on the stove and keep the sauce separate.
- The sugar balances acidity. Skip it if your marinara is sweet.
What to Serve with Crockpot Spaghetti
Serve with garlic bread and a Caesar salad. Love Italian comfort food? Try crockpot lasagna.
Easy Variations
- Turkey. Use ground turkey.
- Mushroom. Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms to the sauce.
- Meatballs. Add frozen all-beef meatballs to the sauce and serve over pasta.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze the meat sauce without pasta up to 3 months.
Equipment I Used
- 6-quart slow cooker: the right size for this recipe. Fill it between half and two-thirds full for even cooking.
- Large ceramic pasta and soup bowls: deep enough for stews, soups and saucy dinners.
- Wooden cutting board with handle: for slicing and serving right at the table.
- Large airtight food storage container: for leftovers and freezer portions.
Planning a busy week? The Slow Cooking for Busy Days guide covers time-saving slow cooker recipes and meal planning.
Crockpot Spaghetti
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the beef and onion in a skillet, drain the fat, and stir in the garlic.
- Add the beef, marinara, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, sugar and salt to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
- Turn to HIGH. Stir in the water and the broken spaghetti, pressing it under the sauce. Cover and cook 25 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
- Top with parmesan and basil.
Notes
Crockpot Spaghetti FAQ
Can you cook uncooked spaghetti in a crockpot?
Yes. Break it in half and cook it in the sauce with 2 cups extra liquid on HIGH for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring often.
Do you have to brown ground beef for crockpot spaghetti?
Yes. Browning adds flavor and lets you drain the fat.
Can I leave spaghetti sauce in the crockpot all day?
Yes. The sauce is great after 6 to 8 hours on LOW. Add the pasta at the end.
Can I freeze crockpot spaghetti sauce?
Yes, without pasta, for up to 3 months.
