Slow Cooker Spaghetti And Meatballs

Guys, if your family is anything like mine, then I’m betting that spaghetti is a meal everyone can agree on. Italian food is always a hit in our house and this meal does not disappoint. It’s super easy and very affordable. Yeap, you’ll rant and rave to your friends and family about how you have found another go-to family favorite easy supper.

And folks, if meal planning is your thing, go ahead and add this Crockpot Spaghetti to your list. It’s perfect to make ahead, warm up when needed and you can easily freeze and reheat in the future. You can also double or triple this recipe when you need to feed a crowd.

This Slow Cooker Spaghetti uses common pantry ingredients that you most likely already have in the pantry cupboard and you only need to put about 5 minutes of your time into this in order to serve up a restaurant-quality meal for your family. #easyrecipesforthewin

Why You’ll Love It

• Frugal – Made with budget-friendly ingredients that go a long way with this recipe.
• Pantry Meal – make this slow cooker pasta with a handful of common pantry staples and 5 minutes of hands on time.
• Feeds a Crowd – just the thing for easy weeknight suppers, potlucks, game day gatherings, parties, and family feasts.
• Comfort Food – spaghetti and meatballs in a tomato sauce is the kind of comfort food we all crave.

Tools Needed

• An awesome slow cooker.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• A mixing spatula.
• The best ever sea salt flakes.

Ready to learn just how easy it is to make this Slow Cooker pasta recipe? Gather up those ingredients and I will show you…..

How To Make Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Mix the tomatoes, beef broth, honey, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic, onion powder (if using), salt, and pepper together in a 6-quart Slow Cooker.
2. Add in the meatballs, close and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low heat.
3. Mix in the spaghetti, making sure it is submerged in the sauce, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes on high or until the pasta is tender to your liking.
4. Ladle into bowls and top with herbs and cheese before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure the pasta is completely covered by the beef broth and other cooking liquid before cooking.
• When storing leftovers, put in single-serving containers to make reheating easier.
• If you like a thinner sauce, you may want to add more broth to your Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs sauce.
• Break the dry spaghetti into thirds so it fits inside the crockpot.
• Slow Cooker temperatures may vary depending on your make and model, check the internal temperatures of meatballs and tenderness of pasta before eating. You may find that your pasta dinner is ready in less time.

Delicious Variations

You can serve this pasta dish as is and it tastes great. But you can also try these tips to make this meal even more fantastic…

• Swap the meatballs – use chicken, turkey or pork meatballs.
• Spice it up – add red pepper flakes, hot sauce, add some diced jalapeños, or use poblaño peppers.
• Add other seasonings – tuscan, greek or oregano.
• Swap the pasta – add pasta like fusili, penne, tortellini etc to your taste.
• Swap the sweetener – try sugar or maple syrup.
• Add toppings – serve with shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, diced tomato, lime, fresh-made pico de gallo, Mexican rice, quinoa, black beans, or corn.

Prep Ahead And Store

Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs is an ideal meal prep solution.

Prep Ahead – This recipe is so easy to make. You can get all your ingredients together for your Slow Cooker Spaghetti ahead of time so you’re prepped and ready to toss in the Slow Cooker later.

Store – Make ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. 

Freeze – Follow the handy tips below on how to freeze this.

• Let the spaghetti and meatballs cool down then transfer into these very handy Ziploc freezer bags. I recommend putting in single serving sizes for easier reheating.
• Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
• Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
• Store in the freezer for 3 months.

Reheat- When ready to enjoy, take the bag out of the freezer the night beforehand and place in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.

To reheat, you can place thawed pasta and sauce in a pan on the stovetop, reheat and stir.

Meal Prep – You can easily double or triple this recipe to make extra pasta and meatballs for other meals or freeze the meal for later use. 

FAQs

Can You Put Spaghetti In Slow Cooker?

Guys, this is one of the best things about this recipe….you don’t have to precook the pasta on the stove and add it.

That’s right, simply put the dry pasta in the Crockpot with the rest of the ingredients. Just make sure the pasta is completely covered by your cooking liquid.

Does The Pasta Get Mushy In The Crockpot?

Your pasta shouldn’t turn out mushy, but it will most likely seem a little more tender than traditional pasta cooked on the stove. You should check the texture of your pasta as it cooks to ensure you end up with pasta of your liking.

How Long Do You Cook The Pasta In The Slow Cooker?

Once you’ve made the sauce, you add in the pasta to the sauce and cook on High for 30 minutes. Pasta can cook fast, so check the texture of your pasta frequently, especially if you like a more al dente pasta.

More Crockpot Recipes

• Crockpot Chicken Fajitas.
• Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Pasta.
• Crockpot Breakfast Casserole.
• Slow Cooker Whole Chicken.
• Korean Slow Cooker Short Ribs.
• Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs.
• Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole.
• Crockpot Spaghetti Casserole.

Thank you for reading my Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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