Crock Pot Spaghetti tastes just as good as regular spaghetti but requires way less effort! Simplify your life, and use this quick method to make everyone’s favorite meal with minimal fuss.
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Pin RecipeSpaghetti is one of those beloved family meals that I turn to again and again. Paired with a side of garlic bread, it’s a meal everyone can always agree on. However, when I’m short on time or don’t feel like dealing with heating up the kitchen by boiling a big pot of water, I make spaghetti in the crock pot instead. It’s just as good as the original and requires a lot less effort! It’s a win-win all around.
Crock Pot Spaghetti Recipe
The crock pot is such a genius kitchen tool that can be used to make so many family-friendly dishes like Crock Pot Chicken and Noodles, Crock Pot Lasagna, and Crock Pot Pulled Pork. Admittedly, until I tested out this recipe, I had never thought about using it to make spaghetti. Turns out it does an amazing job of making everyone’s favorite dinner with hardly any prep time!
You’ll just need to brown some ground beef to form the base of the zesty sauce. Next, pop it into the crock pot along with your sauce, chicken broth for extra flavor, seasonings, and spaghetti. Then, set the crock pot to high or low depending on how fast you need it to be done, and you’re all set!
I love to set up Crock Pot Spaghetti when I know I’m going to be away for a few hours in the afternoon – it’s amazing to come home to dinner already magically ready for me in the crock pot even though I haven’t been home! Make a big green salad to go alongside, and dig in!
Want more easy spaghetti recipes? Check out my Million Dollar Spaghetti, Spaghetti Salad, Baked Spaghetti, or Taco Spaghetti recipes, too.
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Ingredients for Crock Pot Spaghetti
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Lean ground beef – To give this spaghetti heartiness and flavor. Ground turkey or even ground chicken would also work.
- Spaghetti sauce – You can use your favorite brand and variety of tomato sauce in this recipe.
- Chicken stock – Chicken stock and tomato sauce work together to cook the pasta properly. It also gives a deeper flavor to the dish.
- Dried seasonings – Basil, oregano, and garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Spaghetti
Variations
- If you wish to make a vegetarian crock pot spaghetti, omit the ground beef, and use vegetable stock rather than chicken stock.
- Use homemade tomato sauce rather than jarred sauce! Make sure to measure out the equivalent amount of homemade sauce (about 6 cups) in place of the purchased tomato sauce.
How to Make Crock Pot Spaghetti
- Cook the ground beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef. Brown and crumble the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon. Drain the fat.
- Add all of the ingredients except the spaghetti to a crock pot: Spray the base of a 6-quart crock pot or slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the cooked ground beef followed by the chicken stock, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the spaghetti: Add the uncooked spaghetti noodles. Gently stir, and press down on the pasta so that the spaghetti is completely covered by the liquid.
- Cook: Place the cover on the crock pot, and cook on low for four hours or on high for two hours. Serve hot.
Quick Tip
Don’t skimp on the tomato sauce in this recipe! You’ll need enough liquid to make sure that the pasta completely cooks.
How to Store Crock Pot Spaghetti
Store any leftover spaghetti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the spaghetti in a microwave-safe bowl, and warm it in the microwave until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
Crock Pot Spaghetti goes with so many other dishes! Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:
- With a fresh salad. My Summer Salad or Cucumber Tomato Salad recipes are perfect with crock pot spaghetti!
- With bread. Make a load of my Easy Homemade French Bread to soak up the leftover sauce on your plate.
- With a vegetable. Make a green vegetable to serve with crock pot spaghetti. Try my recipes for steamed or roasted broccoli or roasted asparagus for a healthy side.
FAQs
Yes! You will add the pasta in after you’ve stirred together the sauce. Then, let the slow cooker do the work of cooking the spaghetti. As long as there’s enough liquid, it will turn out perfectly al dente.
After your crock pot spaghetti is fully cooked, you can keep the noodles warm in the crock pot until you’re ready to eat. Make sure to turn the temperature down to very low so that they don’t overcook and become mushy.
Depending on what temperature you put the slow cooker on, it can take from 2 to 4 hours to fully cook pasta in the crock pot.
To ensure that pasta doesn’t stick to the crock pot while it’s cooking, grease the pot with olive oil or lightly spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
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Crock Pot Spaghetti
Equipment
- Slow cooker/Crock pot
- spatula
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ jars spaghetti sauce or 6 cups of homemade sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound uncooked spaghetti noodles
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef. Brown and crumble the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon. Drain the fat.1 pound lean ground beef
- Spray the base of a 6-quart crock pot or slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the cooked ground beef, then add in the chicken stock, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.3 cups chicken stock, 1 ½ jars spaghetti sauce, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Add the uncooked spaghetti noodles. Gently stir and press down on the pasta so that the spaghetti is completely covered by the liquid.1 pound uncooked spaghetti noodles
- Place the cover on the crock pot and cook on low for four hours or on high for two hours. Serve hot.
