Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs is an all-in-one meal! Perfect for a buffet-style meal or potluck! So easy and only a handful of ingredients!
A SIMPLE WAY TO MAKE A DELICIOUS DINNER
For the longest time, I have been trying to figure out the best way to make spaghetti in a slow cooker. It took me a few tries and some were successful and others, not so much. It’s all about layering it the right way and making sure the noodles don’t come out in one big clump. The end results turned out delicious!
TIPS FOR MAKING CROCK POT SPAGHETTI:
- Some older models of slow cookers cook slower than the newer models. Also, some slow cookers have metal inserts and some have ceramic. All of this affects cooking time. In general, a metal insert will cook a bit faster than a ceramic. So adjust your time accordingly.
- I have only made this in an oval slow cooker. I don’t think this would work in a traditional round slow cooker. There needs to be enough space between the meatballs and the spaghetti for it to cook evenly.
- Frozen Meatballs don’t all seem to come in standard size packaging. In addition, frozen meatballs can be on the larger size or smaller size. So, I use an amount of meatballs for reference. If the meatballs are fairly small, you’ll want to use about 40 meatballs. If they are larger meatballs, you’ll use about half that amount.
- PLEASE NOTE: I have not tried this recipe with homemade meatballs. I’m not sure if it would work because they may fall apart during cooking or may produce too much grease as they cook. If you try it out, please let me know how it turns out for you!
- Want to make this in your Instant Pot? Try my Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- spaghetti sauce – use your favorite sauce or even homemade. I’ve become a big fan of Rao’s. It can get pretty pricey though unless I can find it at Costco.
- frozen meatballs – please see my notes above about purchasing frozen meatballs.
- water – this is added to help cook the spaghetti. Adding more sauce instead of water won’t help the spaghetti cook properly so the water is needed.
- Italian seasoning – I like the additional seasoning because we are watering down the sauce a bit to cook the spaghetti so this brings back a bit more of that flavor.
- minced garlic – there is no such thing as too much garlic in my opinion but use your best judgement here in what you prefer.
- dried basil – just like the Italian seasoning, I am kicking up the flavor profile a bit but you do not have to add this additional seasoning.
- spaghetti – I have only tested this with traditional spaghetti – not the thin spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine or any other type of pasta.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT SPAGHETTI
In a 6-quart oval slow cooker, pour in half the jarred spaghetti sauce. Layer the frozen meatballs in a single layer on top of spaghetti sauce.
Pour the rest of the spaghetti sauce evenly over the meatballs.
Then pour in 4 cups of water. Sprinkle minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and basil on top. No need to stir.
Finally, layer the spaghetti noodles on top. It’s okay if they look scattered at the moment. This will help in the next step.
Evenly drizzle the the top of the noodles with 2-3 tbsp olive oil to coat.
Then, gently push down the spaghetti noodles until they are under the water (breaking them as necessary to fit.) Try to make sure each noodle is coated in the sauce. This will help to keep the noodles from sticking together while cooking.
Cover and cook on low for about 2.5 hours (until noodles are soft and meatballs are heated through). About halfway through, gently stir the noodles with a pasta fork to make sure none of the noodles are sticking together.
Spaghetti is ready when the noodles are al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the pasta. Note: as the spaghetti cools the sauce will thicken up a bit so just leave the lid off and stir occasionally.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: May 2015
Updated photos & republished: February 2021
Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
- 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
- 20 ounce bag frozen meatballs (24 count for larger meatballs and 40 count for smaller meatballs)
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ (16 ounce) box spaghetti you are only using 1/2 a box which is 8 ounces in total)
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a 6-quart oval slow cooker, pour in half the jarred spaghetti sauce and do your best to spread it around evenly.
- Layer the frozen meatballs in a single layer (as best as possible) on top of spaghetti sauce.
- Pour the rest of the spaghetti sauce over the meatballs.
- Then pour in 4 cups of water.
- Sprinkle minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and basil on top. No need to stir.
- Finally, place the spaghetti on top. Lay them a scattered fashion so all the noodles are not sticking together (see image). You don't want them to cook and end up in one big blob.
- Evenly drizzle the spaghetti with 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil to lightly coat. Then, gently push down the spaghetti noodles until they are under the water/sauce mixture (breaking them if necessary to fit.)
- Try to make sure each noodle is coated in the sauce. This will help to keep the noodles from sticking together while cooking.
- Cover and cook on low for about 2.5 hours (until noodles are soft and meatballs are heated through).
- About halfway through, gently stir the noodles with a pasta fork to make sure none of the noodles are sticking together.
- Spaghetti is ready when the noodles are al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the pasta. PLEASE NOTE: when it is done, and as the spaghetti cools, the sauce will thicken up a bit so just leave the lid off, slow cooker turned off and stir occasionally.
Video
Notes
- Please see my tips and ingredient listing in the post for answers to the most frequently asked questions.
- Some older models of slow cookers cook slower than the newer models. Also, some slow cookers have metal inserts and some have ceramic. All of this affects cooking time. In general, a metal insert will cook a bit faster than a ceramic. So adjust your time accordingly.
- Frozen Meatballs don’t all seem to come in standard size packaging. In addition, frozen meatballs can be on the larger size or smaller size. So, I use an amount of meatballs for reference. If the meatballs are fairly small, you’ll want to use about 40 meatballs. If they are larger meatballs, you’ll use about half that amount.
- PLEASE NOTE: I have not tried this recipe with homemade meatballs. I’m not sure if it would work because they may fall apart during cooking or may produce too much grease as they cook. If you try it out, please let me know how it turns out for you!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Unfortunately, like others, this this not work for me 🙁 after half the time was up, the noodles were barely cooked at all, so I turned it up to high and checked again 45 mins later. Then they were mushy and there was tons of liquid still. Took the lid off for 35 mins and stirred a few times. Still super liquidy and soupy. Super bummed!
The noodles were a mushy mess and the meatballs seemed undercooked. Complete disaster.
Can I add fresh mushrooms to the recipe when cooking in the slow cooker?
Prepared this dish for Sunday lunch today for myself and my “senior” son. I Followed the recipe exactly and we were delighted with the results … it was both easy and tasty … definitely a “keeper”! (I do recommend Rao’s and I did grate up a little fresh Parm to top it off.) For the record … at age 80, I had never tried cooking the pasta using this method but I still like trying new (to me) recipes! Thank You!
Turned out great for me! Really not sure why others have had issues. We love it and I followed your directions so they must be going wrong somewhere lol.
I researched this at 6 am. Started at 7 am.
I only had angel hair pasta.
I followed the directions exactly and took it to potluck at church. Even though I increased the heat at high and left the lid off for half an hour after the pasta was cooked properly, the sauce was still very thin.
If I make it again I will decrease the water to 3 cups.
Made this for supper tonight it was so good. I didn’t have any troubles. Followed the recipe as instructed. there was less than one serving left. My daughter claimed it for her lunch tomorrow.
Definitely will make again.
Thanks so very much Kathy! I sure do appreciate it!
And I cook the spaghetti separately and then dish the sauce over top when it’s done?
Hi Theresa, please refer to my photos above (or even the videos) to see how I do it. It’s all cooked together 🙂
I don’t understand how other people have achieved a good result with this recipe. I followed the directions to a T. I triple-checked everything before and after the fact. And after 2.5 hours, I had barely cooked spaghetti soup. Thin. Watery. Soupy.
I tried painstakingly to get it to thicken, and when it FINALLY thickened several hours later (after cooking it longer to cook off the water), I tasted it… and it tasted like NOTHING. It tasted like the barest concept of basil. Like the spaghetti had an afterimage of basil. Nothing else. I don’t understand how so many flavorful ingredients went into this recipe and how it came out tasting like a black hole of flavor.
I thought “There MUST be something I did wrong,” but I came back and read the recipe three times. I did it exactly as described. And what I have is the most un-spaghetti spaghetti I’ve ever tasted.
Anyway. Do not recommend, personally. If I try crock pot spaghetti again, I’m going to try to find a different recipe.
I’m sorry you had issues with it. But I don’t think you followed the recipe to a t. In my instructions I say to leave the lid off after it’s done cooking & it will thicken as it cools. It sounds like you just kept cooking it, trying to get it to thicken.
Happened to me too. Maybe the “left overs” will be better.
I followed the directions exactly, but after the 2.5 hours, the spaghetti texture was kind of mushy. I think in my crockpot, I will need to test the pasta sartininf at 1.5 hours, because it definitely was not al dente. I will just make some spaghetti the usual way to finish off the rest of the meatballs and sauce. I will admit it’s very easy if it works!
Made for my family and everyone really enjoyed it. Found it super easy and my wife said we can definitely make again. Thanks so much
what do you suggest for a sauce if you can’t have tomatoes or dairy?
What do you normally use? I am sorry I am not familiar with those allergies enough to give recommendations. Maybe some else on here can chime in 🙂
Sonoma Gourmet Organic Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce, or another brand of butternut squash pasta sauce.
Would I be able to double this recipe (hungry athletes!) in a 7-quart slow cooker? My thought is it would work just fine, but curious if you would recommend.
You have to be real careful because if you put too much in, the spaghetti can start to stick together and you end up with one big clumpy mess.
This was so easy and amazing
Has anyone tried with different types of pasta? Like penne or rotini?
I’ve made this two times now and both times it did not cook and took many hours. I don’t understand how cooking on low for 2.5 hours works at all. Once it finished it was good but definitely doesn’t take 2.5 hours.
I use slow cook function on instant pot. AND I don’t use frozen meatballs so…Since pot is hot from browning meat, onions etc I add water and bring to simmer on sauté. Then add pasta, spray with olive oil and push down into simmering sauce. Switch to slow cook low. Stir after an hour. It’s usually done after 2 hours total. Also temperatures vary from slow cooker brands. The instant pot I use cooks at lower temp than my Hamilton beach set and forget slow cooker. It’s good recipe. I retired and haven’t slow cooked much since. But this was always great to come home to slow cooked 8 hour spaghetti sauce, add cooked spaghetti and viola.
Thanks so much Bev!
I followed the instructions exactly like they were and cooked it at 2 1/2 hours on HIGH in my crockpot. It turned out perfect. The only thing that I did was add a little bit more spaghetti sauce (from an extra jar of sauce) on top of each serving after I spooned out the pasta and meatballs onto the plates.
Everyone loved it❤️
How would I need to adjust if I want to make the whole box of spaghetti?
I don’t recommend a whole box. It will be too much and won’t cook well.
We enjoyed it. I honestly don’t know why others had issues. If you follow the instructions, it comes out great! Kiddos loved it!
Hello! I’m wanting to have this for dinner one night this week, so it will be cooking all day while I’m at work. Is it ok to have it on warm all day versus the low for only 2.5 hours? Or should I save it for a weekend day when I’m not at work and can stir it after the 2.5 hours?
This is definitely not a set it and forget it type meal unfortunately. The spaghetti will be mush if you left it on all day while at work – even on the warm setting. This is one to make when you’re not at work – sorry!
Question? “As it cools”, am I leaving on low as it does such? How long should I leave lid off for it to thicken? Thank you for sharing. I’m making this as I’m typing this message.
You can turn it completely off and remove the lid. 🙂
Very good and I agree with others. Leave the lid off and stir occasionally. It does thicken up. Kids (and adults lol) really enjoyed it!
Easy and good
Really delicious! I think those that are having trouble with it not thickening up are not leaving the lid off. You must take off the lid and give it time then stir. I had no trouble at all. My kids loved it and were able to help me make it which we all enjoyed. Thank you!
I made the spaghetti and frozen meatballs, and it turned out perfect and it was so yummy. Will be making more of it.
For this of you complaining it is too liquidy – you are not reading her directions where she puts it in bold letters!! Leave the lid off and stir occasionally. It will take a few minutes for it to cool a bit, and as it does, it thickens up just like she says. Just be patient and follow the directions!! We love this meal – thank you!
Easy recipe and yummy too! Making this for second time!
My kids loved it. I always make too much spaghetti and this was the perfect amount for the 4 of us.
Than you for this recipe! We were not wanting to do much cooking before Thanksgiving so my kids made this following your recipe. Thank you for all the pictures and detailed instructions. They were able to follow it step by step and they were so proud. To those wondering, the sauce thickens up as it cools down and it doesn’t take that long. Just be patient, it works. It was delicious and they served it with the Texas Toast Garlic Bread.
I made this yesterday and it has good flavor, we enjoyed it.
This was great!! The key that I don’t think people realize is that it thickens as it cools. They aren’t reading your directions where it clearly states that. Just leave the lid off for a bit after cooking and it thickens up. You gotta read the directions folks! I make this for my family all the time and now my kids know how to make it. It’s a wonderful way to get them to cook something without fear of anything catching on fire on the stove – ha!
This has become a favorite in my home. Love the ease, uses staple ingredients, tastes delicious and turns out perfect every time.
Unfortunately this recipe did not work out for me, but I’m sure it’s on me. I did everything to a T except I used angel hair pasta instead of regular spaghetti noodles. When the 2.5 hours was up I was left with meatball spaghetti soup. It never did thicken up. So if you’re thinking about trying this out, but you only have angel hair pasta….don’t
good to know! Thanks. my husband only likes angel hair
Same! I am an experienced slow cooker and had trouble with this recipe. I think matching hydration to demand in these kinds of dishes is very challenging. Not to mention variability in slow cookers.
Mine did indeed thicken up with a >2.5 hour raise to high with the lid off, forcing a reduction of sorts. This pretty much has to be conventional spaghetti, not thin etc. In the future, I will reduce free water to 3 cups.
It has potential, but just didn’t really go well for me (the meatballs were waterlogged etc).
Worth another shot, but a challenging dish to make reliably in a slow cooker.
I did follow the instructions. The only variables I can think of were 1) I have a classic CrockPot with 3 settings (off/low/high) and low may not have been sufficient for 2.5H and 2) the brand of spaghetti I used may have been thinner than average.
I’ve tried other recipes from here and they worked well.