Crock Pot Spaghetti

5 from 5 votes

Crock Pot Spaghetti is an easy dinner recipe that's ready when you need it!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword crock pot spaghetti, slow cooker spaghetti

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 15

Servings people

Calories 485.8kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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 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). Toss all of the ingredients together and serve.

Remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact 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. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly. You want to be sure to keep an eye on your pasta, stirring regularly, the first time you make it so that you know how long it takes in your slow cooker. Overcooked pasta will get gummy and mushy -- not ideal!
I like the flavor that ground Italian sausage adds to this dish; however, you can substitute with 1 lb. of ground beef (hamburger) or ground turkey, if you prefer.
If possible, it's best to stir the pasta occasionally, which helps prevent the noodles from sticking together.
For a creamier sauce, make Crock Pot Spaghetti with Cream Cheese. Stir softened cream cheese into your slow cooker during the final 5-10 minutes (just until the cheese has time to melt).
For a vegetarian dinner, make Crock Pot Spaghetti with no meat. Just add an extra 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms and the remaining 1/2 onion instead.
This recipe will work well for Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs, too. 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).