How to Make Spaghetti in the Crock Pot
Here’s a quick rundown of how to prepare spaghetti in the slow cooker. Your family will enjoy returning home to a hot and filling meal, and your house will smell fantastic. For the complete recipe and measurements, see the recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
- Brown the beef. Over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it is browned and crumbled. Drain off the grease.
- Make the sauce. Spray the base of your crockpot with cooking spray. Add the seasonings, spaghetti sauce, and chicken stock and stir to mix.
- Add the pasta. Place the raw spaghetti in the slow cooker; you might need to break the noodles in half to make them fit. Press down and stir gently until the liquid covers it completely.
- Cook the spaghetti. Cook the pasta, covered, for 2 to 4 hours, depending on the heat setting.
- Add cheese. Stir thoroughly the spaghetti, and if desired, add the cream cheese and parmesan.
Using jarred spaghetti sauce is one way to help make this meal come together quickly. Having said that, I am aware that many people enjoy making all of their meals from scratch. If so, I advise you to prepare my homemade spaghetti sauce the evening before you want to have this flavorful spaghetti meal. It comes together in only 25 minutes and is delicious. The quantity of sauce required for this dinner recipe is also determined by the sauce recipe.
What people are saying about this recipe
“This was SO delicious! My whole family loved it. I did make a small adjustment because all slow cookers heat up somewhat instantly and other things. I reduced the heat to low after two hours and added the third helping of sauce. I’ve been eating it with my son all day for leftovers, and I think the second day would be even better than the first. Thank you for sharing this recipe”.
- Italian sausage – Could also use ground beef or turkey. You can even use frozen meatballs in place of the ground meat.
- Seasonings: A dash of pepper, salt, and garlic salt will intensify the flavor. You could also add a little Italian Seasoning.
- Pasta sauce: To make it quickly and simply, use your preferred jarred pasta sauce. You can also use a homemade sauce if you prefer.
- Regular spaghetti noodles are used to test the cooking time for these noodles. Keep in mind that it will cook faster if you use an angel hair!
- Cheeses: The creamy sauce and delicious dish are created by combining Parmesan and cream cheese.
- Water will also work in a pinch, but chicken broth is a must because the spaghetti will absorb it. We use low sodium chicken broth to lower the sodium.
- To make the sauce, brown the sausage and season it with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drain and set aside.
- Add to Crock Pot: Cover the bottom of the crockpot with one jar of sauce. Place spaghetti noodles on top of sauce. Layer the sausage on top of noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and sprinkle it over the Parmesan cheese. Top with another jar of sauce.
- Cook: For three hours, cook on high with a covered crock pot. After three hours, mix the spaghetti mixture and add the last jar of chicken broth and pasta sauce to the crock pot. Replace lid and cook on low for one additional hour.
Keep in mind that each slow cooker has a unique cooking temperature and method. It’s important that you know your crock pot. Watch your pasta, stirring it in frequently and testing it to determine when it’s done. Overcooked pasta gets gummy, mushy and isn’t ideal!.
Yes, it’s a fantastic way to prepare a large meal for a group of people. We especially enjoy slow cooker spaghetti. However, it should be noted that this pasta is a little softer than regular spaghetti, which is cooked until it’s al dente but not mushy.
Making crockpot spaghetti only takes four hours from start to finish!
Using a dry dishtowel or multiple paper towels with the edges hanging over, cover the slow cooker and cover it with the lid. That’s a really quick and simple trick that works for all crock pot recipes! This will soak up that extra moisture. When taking it out, make sure to hold onto the lids and the towels to prevent it from falling into your food.
Why you’ll love Crock Pot Spaghtti!
- I love that this spaghetti has Italian sausage to give it a little extra spiciness, but you can always substitute ground beef or regular sausage if the kick is too much, especially for small children!
- That sauce is incredibly rich and creamy because of the cream cheese addition. It really takes it up a notch!.
- When kids are in and out and unable to sit down for a meal at once, this works well. When they have time, they can simply take a portion and enjoy dinner!
