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    Home » Recipes » Crock Pot » Crock Pot Spaghetti

    Crock Pot Spaghetti

    Published: Mar 6, 2023 · Modified: Apr 3, 2023 by Tonia Larson

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Crock Pot Spaghetti is so easy to make and your family is going to love it! The meat sauce is slow-cooked all day before adding the spaghetti.

    Slow cooker recipes are a hands-off way to get dinner on the table! Serve with a simple side dish, and use a crockpot liner for easy cleanup.

    a slow cooker with a liner full of spaghetti.

    This crock pot spaghetti recipe is perfect for busy days when you know you aren’t going to have time to prepare dinner. Put everything in the slow cooker and leave it simmering all day. Then, stir in the pasta before dinner and enjoy with an Italian salad and Texas toast or garlic bread.

    Here’s What’s Included In This Post

    • Ingredients We Used and Suggestions For Substitutions
      • Meat Sauce Ingredients
      • Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients
    • How To Make Crock Pot Spaghetti
    • Variations
      • Meatless Crock Pot Spaghetti
      • Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce
      • Veggie Sauce
    • How To Store and Reheat Spaghetti
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Want more slow cooker recipes? Try these next:
    meat, sauces, and spices in bowls on a marble countertop.

    Ingredients We Used and Suggestions For Substitutions

    Meat Sauce Ingredients

    • Oil: We use olive oil to saute the onion and garlic, but it is also an important part of the spaghetti sauce because it adds flavor and a velvety texture to the sauce. We suggest sticking to the olive oil in the recipe, but butter could also be used in a pinch.
    • Onion: For this recipe, we used diced yellow onion since it holds up well to being cooked for extended periods of time. You could also use white onion if you prefer.
    • Garlic: The minced garlic adds lots of flavor to the sauce. If you don’t have a head of garlic available, you could use 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder per clove of garlic.
    • Meat: We used a combination of ground beef and ground Italian sausage for the best flavor. You could use only ground beef if you prefer, but it won’t be as flavorful.

    Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients

    • Tomatoes: You’ll need a can of crushed tomatoes. We recommend using high-quality Italian tomatoes such as Cento or Mutti for the best flavor and texture.
    • Tomato Sauce: Canned tomato sauce is a flavored sauce made from tomatoes and seasonings. It is not the same thing as a jarred marinara sauce, but you could substitute an equal amount of your high-quality marinara sauce from a jar if you prefer.
    • Tomato Paste: This recipe uses a small can of tomato paste to thicken the sauce while adding to the tomato flavor.
    • Liquid: The beef broth adds extra liquid to the sauce and deepens the meaty flavor of the sauce.
    • Sugar: We added a little bit of sugar, but depending on the brands of canned tomato ingredients you choose, you may need to add more sugar to taste since some brands are less sweet than others.
    • Seasonings: We added kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, basil, thyme, and bay leaves.
    a photo collage of spaghetti and spaghetti sauce in a crock pot.

    How To Make Crock Pot Spaghetti

    Using a crock pot to make spaghetti is so easy, and you’ll be amazed at how good it tastes!

    • Meat: After sauteeing the onions and garlic, brown the meat and drain the excess grease.
    • Sauce: Put the cooked meat into the crock pot and add the canned tomatoes (crushed, sauce, and paste), beef broth, sugar, and seasonings. This mixture is slow-cooked on low all day. You can stir it occasionally if you want, but it doesn’t have to be stirred.
    • Pasta: Cook the spaghetti and reserve some of the pasta water before draining the rest. Add the cooked pasta and pasta water to the sauce and stir to coat. Leave the cover off and cook for another 20-30 minutes.

    Variations

    This recipe is easily adaptable and can be turned into other sauces! Here are a few to try:

    Meatless Crock Pot Spaghetti

    If you prefer meatless spaghetti, you can skip the meat and make it without it. If you want to have a meaty flavor, you can add mushrooms. We also suggest that you increase the amount of diced onions to one cup. Then, saute the onions and garlic, add them to the slow cooker, and follow the instructions as directed in the recipe.

    Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

    This recipe can be used to make just the spaghetti sauce, and it can easily be doubled to make a large batch. The sauce can be used to make anything from lasagna to stuffed shells. You can divide the cooled sauce into portions and store it in the freezer for 4-6 months.

    Veggie Sauce

    Another great option is to add more veggies to the sauce for extra flavor or add them instead of the meat. You can add diced red and green bell peppers, more diced onions, chopped carrots, sliced mushrooms, and chopped zucchini.

    tongs scooping crock pot spaghetti.

    How To Store and Reheat Spaghetti

    • Make Ahead: Cook the onions, garlic, and meat in the skillet as directed but allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, follow the recipe by adding all of the spaghetti sauce ingredients to the crock pot. Then, cover it with the lid and place the crockpot in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove it from the refrigerator and cook it as directed.
    • Refrigerator: Allow leftovers to cool and then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
    • Freezer: Store it in the freezer for up to three months.
    • Reheating: Leftover crock pot spaghetti can be reheated in the oven in a covered oven-safe dish at 350˚F for 15-20 minutes. To reheat it in the microwave, place it in a microwave-safe dish, and add a teaspoon or two of water or extra sauce. Cover the dish and microwave on medium for one minute and then stir it. Continue microwaving and stirring it in 15-second intervals until heated through.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How can I make this spaghetti recipe on the stovetop instead of in a crock pot?

    To make it on the stovetop, put the cooked and drained meat and onions in a large, heavy-bottom pot instead of a crock pot. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for one hour. Cook the spaghetti in a separate pot and add it along with 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce. Stir and cook over low heat for about two minutes before serving.

    Can you freeze spaghetti with meat sauce?

    Yes, you can freeze cooled spaghetti with meat sauce in an airtight container for up to three months.

    What makes spaghetti sauce taste better?

    For the best tasting sauce, use high-quality Italian tomatoes and ground beef, as well as Italian sausage. Then, allow the sauce to cook slowly so that the flavors can blend together.

    Spaghetti in a crock pot liner.

    Want more slow cooker recipes? Try these next:

    Crock Pot Pork Chops turn out so tender and juicy when slow-cooked in a creamy sauce.

    This Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe makes the BEST barbecue chicken sandwiches.

    Our Crock Pot Taco Soup recipe is a popular choice for large family gatherings and potlucks!

    Slow Cooker Pot Roast is one of our favorite meals to make on busy days.

    Spaghetti in a crock pot.

    Crock Pot Spaghetti

    Crock Pot Spaghetti is so easy to make, and your family is going to love it! The meat sauce is slow-cooked all day before adding the spaghetti.
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    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 6 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 6 hours hours 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 7 servings
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    Equipment

    All-Clad Fry Pan Set
    Crushed Tomatoes
    Slow Cooker Liners
    Crock-Pot 8-Quart

    Ingredients

    Meat

    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/2 cup diced onion
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1/2 lb ground mild Italian sausage see note 1

    Sauce

    • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes see note 2
    • 15 oz can tomato sauce
    • 6 oz can tomato paste
    • 1/2 cup beef broth
    • 2 teaspoon sugar see note 3
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 bay leaves

    Pasta

    • 14 oz spaghetti dried (see note 4)
    • 2 teaspoon dried oregano for garnish
    • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan for garnish

    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute.
      Onions cooking in a skillet.
    • Add the ground beef and ground Italian sausage. Cook until browned. Drain the grease. Transfer the meat to a large crock pot (we used an 8-quart size.)
      ground beef in a skillet.
    • Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, kosher salt, oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, ground black pepper, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
      Red sauce, meat and spices in a slow cooker.
    • Cook 14 ounces of spaghetti. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest. Do not rinse the pasta.
      Noodles in boiling water.
    • Discard bay leaves from the sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Leave the cover off and continue heating over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes. Garnish with dried oregano and grated parmesan.
      A crock pot full of Spaghetti.

    Video

    Notes

    Note 1: Sausage

    You can use an additional half pound of ground sausage if you like more meat and less sauce.

    Note 2: Crushed Tomatoes

    Choose high-quality Italian tomatoes for the best sauce.

    Note 3: Sugar

    You may need to add more sugar to taste, depending on the crushed tomatoes you choose.

    Note 4: Spaghetti

    We used 14 ounces of a 16-ounce box of spaghetti. You can use the whole box if you prefer less sauce or use even less if you want lots of sauce.

    Note 5: Leftovers

    Allow leftovers to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to four months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/7 | Calories: 649kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1608mg | Potassium: 947mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1385IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 7mg
    Course: Crock Pot
    Cuisine: Italian
    Author: Tonia Larson

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    About Tonia Larson

    Hi! I’m Tonia, the owner and recipe creator at The Gunny Sack, where I’ve shared easy recipes for busy people for 12+ years! My family-friendly meals, easy side dishes, and delicious desserts include mouthwatering photos, dynamic videos, and step-by-step instructions to help you cook at home.

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    Tonia Larson and Brian LarsonHi, We are Brian and Tonia Larson! We hope you enjoy our family-friendly meals, easy side dishes, and tasty desserts!
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