Crock Pot spaghetti is an easy dinner that’s ready when you need it! Perfect for busy weeknights or potluck crowds, the slow cooker pasta includes Italian sausage or ground beef in a rich tomato sauce.
If you love easy pasta dinners, you might also enjoy Homemade Lasagna, 5-Ingredient Amish Baked Spaghetti, or this Easy Spaghetti Carbonara.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
A few quick tips will help you get the best results with this recipe. The most common issue? Mushy noodles. Here’s how to avoid that and make sure your spaghetti turns out perfectly.
- Break the spaghetti noodles in half before adding them to the slow cooker. This helps them fit better and cook more evenly in the sauce.
- Don’t skip the water. The 1 ¼ cups of water mixed with the first jar of sauce is essential. It provides enough liquid for the dry pasta to absorb and cook properly without drying out.
- Stir the pasta at least once or twice during cooking. This prevents the noodles from clumping together and helps them cook evenly throughout.
How to Make Crock Pot Spaghetti
This recipe comes together in three simple steps. You’ll brown the meat on the stovetop first, then layer everything in the slow cooker and let it do the rest.
Step 1: Brown the Meat
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add your choice of ground meat (Italian sausage, ground beef, turkey, or chicken) along with the mushrooms, onion, garlic, and salt.
Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat, until it’s no longer pink.
Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the diced tomatoes and set aside.
A Note About Meat Options: Italian sausage adds the best flavor to this dish, but ground beef works great if that’s what you have on hand.
Step 2: Layer the Slow Cooker
Pour one jar of spaghetti sauce and the water into the bottom of your slow cooker.
Break the spaghetti noodles in half and place them on top of the sauce. The liquid layer underneath helps the pasta cook evenly.
Add the cooked meat mixture on top of the noodles, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and pour the second jar of sauce over everything. This layering method keeps the noodles submerged so they cook properly.
Step 3: Cook Until Al Dente
Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 ½-3 hours or on LOW for 4-6 hours, stirring periodically if possible.
Slow Cooker Variance: Every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature, which is why the recipe gives you general ranges rather than exact cooking times. Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the pasta is best when cooked on HIGH for exactly 2 hours or on LOW for 4 hours.
Keep a close eye on your pasta after the first 30-45 minutes on HIGH. Some readers have found that their spaghetti was done in just 45 minutes! You want the noodles to be al dente, not mushy. Once the pasta is tender, turn off the slow cooker.
This recipe was designed and tested with dry spaghetti. If you use a different pasta shape (such as thin spaghetti) or another type of noodle (such as whole wheat or gluten-free pasta), you will likely need to adjust the cooking time.
Toss all of the ingredients together. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes adds a little bit of heat. Garnish individual servings with fresh herbs such as basil or parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.
I made this recipe exactly how you said and it turned out amazing I cooked it on high for 2 hrs and it came out just the right consistency. I love how the sauce soaks into the noodles!
– Jessica
Variations
- For a creamier sauce, add room temperature, diced cream cheese to your slow cooker during the final 10 minutes (or just until the cheese has time to melt).
- For a vegetarian dinner, omit the meat and add an extra 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms and the remaining ½ of an onion instead.
- For Crock Pot spaghetti and meatballs, simply omit the ground sausage and add frozen, fully-cooked, thawed meatballs to the slow cooker at the same time that you add the noodles.
- For whole wheat or gluten-free pasta, you will likely need to decrease the cooking time. Check the noodles early and often.
Serving Suggestions
This Italian-inspired dinner goes well with easy sides like:
Or even with a simple green salad dressed with Italian balsamic vinaigrette.
Storage & Leftovers
To store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave, adding a splash of water or extra sauce if the pasta seems dry. You can also reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Can you freeze Crock Pot spaghetti? I don’t recommend freezing the cooked spaghetti. The pasta tends to get mushy and gummy when thawed. If you want a make-ahead option, you can brown the meat mixture in advance and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before assembling and cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put dry pasta in a slow cooker?
Yes! Dry, uncooked spaghetti noodles go straight into the slow cooker. The key is making sure there’s enough liquid (the water plus two jars of sauce) for the pasta to absorb as it cooks. Break the noodles in half so they fit and cook evenly.
How do you keep Crock Pot spaghetti from getting mushy?
The biggest factor is cooking time. Every slow cooker runs at a different temperature, so start checking your pasta early (around 45 minutes on HIGH). Stir occasionally to prevent clumping, and turn off the slow cooker as soon as the noodles are al dente. Overcooked pasta will get gummy and soft.
Can I use marinara sauce instead of spaghetti sauce?
Yes, marinara sauce works well in this recipe. Just make sure you’re using a sauce with enough body and flavor. You’ll still need two 24-ounce jars plus the water for the pasta to cook properly.
More Easy Pasta Dinners
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Spaghetti
- Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Dump-and-Bake Baked Ziti
- Baked Ziti with Sausage
- Easy Lasagna Recipe
- Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken
For more ideas, check out this collection of Baked Pasta Recipes.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Crock Pot Spaghetti
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage, ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken
- 1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
- ½ of an onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (about 3 large cloves)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 (24 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 lb. uncooked spaghetti noodles
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or basil; additional grated Parmesan cheese; crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat, mushrooms, onion, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat, until no longer pink (about 5-7 minutes). Drain off fat.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes.
- Pour one jar of the spaghetti sauce and the water in the bottom of a slow cooker. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and place them on top of the sauce.
- Add the cooked meat mixture to the slow cooker, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and pour the second jar of sauce over top.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 ½-3 hours or on LOW for 4-6 hours, stirring periodically (if possible). My spaghetti is perfectly done in my slow cooker in exactly 2 hours on HIGH. If your slow cooker runs at a higher temperature, it might be done a lot sooner. Just keep a close eye on it after the first 30-45 minutes or so, and turn off the slow cooker when the noodles are al dente. Toss all of the ingredients together.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. You might like to add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat as well. Garnish individual servings with fresh herbs such as basil or parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Don’t skip the water. The 1¼ cups of water is essential for the dry pasta to cook properly.
- Break the noodles in half so they fit in the slow cooker and cook evenly.
- Stir at least once or twice during cooking to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Watch the timing carefully. Every slow cooker runs at a different temperature. Start checking your pasta around 45 minutes on HIGH. Overcooked pasta will get gummy and mushy.
- This recipe was designed and tested with dry spaghetti. Whole wheat or gluten-free pasta may require less cooking time.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of water or sauce.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing the cooked spaghetti, as the pasta tends to get mushy when thawed.
- Creamy variation: Add diced cream cheese during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
Nutrition
Originally published in September, 2019, this post was updated in January, 2026.
Hi, Bill! I’m sorry that it didn’t work. 🙁 Pasta is much more sensitive to cooking times than something like pulled pork (which can sit in the Crock Pot all day and not get overdone). It sounds like you have a slow cooker that runs at a relatively high temperature, so 2 hours was just too long for the spaghetti to be in there. If you try it again, I would keep an eye on the noodles starting at 1 hour. It will likely be done between 1 hour and 90 minutes in your pot. Again, sorry that it was a disappointment last night!
I did exactly 2 hours with Bucatini pasta and it was perfect not mushy at all. I think regular spaghetti doesn’t work well.
Well…I tried this tonight for supper. I sure do wish the part about the whole wheat pasta would have been nearer to the top and possibly in neon flashing lights. I put mine on high with THIN wheat pasta and went back to stir 45 minutes later to find mush. Granted, it’s very tasty mush but we still had to eat a bigger salad and omit the garlic bread.
I’ll try this again but it will definitely be with the pasta in regular thickness and on LOW.
I just cook my noodles the normal way and the add the sauce to the noodles afterwards. After all it only takes about 10 minutes to cook noodles.
Terry, I think I will do the same & cook my noodles on the stove. Did you omit the 1 1/4 cup of water in the crockpot though? Or did you still use it? I was thinking it was for the noodles or maybe not? Thanks! ☺️
Hi, Natalie! You’re right — you probably don’t need the water if you’re not cooking the pasta in the slow cooker. If you just want a Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce (that doesn’t include cooking the pasta in the slow cooker), this is my favorite recipe: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/crockpot-spaghetti-sauce/
Greetings from Virginia!
I would not normally use my crock pot for pasta recipes, because the noodles would be too soft, but my stove is broken and my daughter wanted spaghetti last night.
I used the Ronzoni Smart Taste thin spaghetti noodles and cooked it on low for about 4 hours, and the noodles were perfect.
I also added a tiny bit of water to the sauce jars to get all the sauce out and then poured it in the pot. I probably should have added more, because it was a bit thick at the end. But overall it was a success. My youngest even loved it and I get complaints from her whenever I even mention spaghetti for dinner.
Hi to a fellow Virginian! 🙂 So glad that this recipe worked well for you, Jennifer! Thanks for your kind note.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GREAT ADVICE BLAIR. SUNNY
Of course, Sunny. Hope you enjoy the meal!
I made this recipe exactly how you said and it turned out amazing I cooked it on high for 2 hrs and it came out just the right consistancy. I love how the sauce soaks into the noodles!
Awesome! Thanks, Jessica!
I am going to try this today.
We hope you enjoy it, John!
I cooked my sausage, onions & mushrooms in the crockpot first. Once done, I added my herbs & sauce & cooked to develop the flavors. Half of an hour before serving, I added my un cooked spaghetti & spooned sauce over top. Cooked on high & noodles were perfect. I have an oval crock pot so no need to break the noodles in half. One pot, less clean up.
We’re so glad it turned out well for you, Bobbi!
I want to cry. This was a terrible idea. 3 hours on low checking every 30 minutes. The noodles disappeared and my homemade sauce is ruined.
I haven’t made this yet, although I have been looking for a good Crockpot spaghetti recipe that cooks the spaghetti and everything all in one pot. This looks awesome, but I no longer have access to a stove and T cook everything in my crockpot. Is there some way I can cook this with only the crock?? Some adjustment or something?? I hope you can help me and even show me other recipes like it. Thank you sdo much for your help. P.S. I lived in the Catoctin Mountains in MD, but had to move in with my daughter.
Hi Mary,
Unfortunately, if using veggies and meat, they need to be cooked ahead of time. However, you can omit them and make a very simple spaghetti, maybe with a pre-made meat sauce. Hope this helps!