Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs
5 Comments May 11, 2025
Updated Jun 01, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This crockpot spaghetti and meatballs recipe keeps things simple—just add a few pantry staples and let your slow cooker do the work for an easy, comforting meal.
This shortcut spaghetti meal is a staple in our house! We love making Spaghetti and Meatballs in the slow cooker because it cooks the meatballs to tender perfection, letting all their flavor blend right into the rich, hearty sauce.
Key Ingredients
You may have most of these ingredients on hand. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below the images.
This recipe keeps things simple with pantry and freezer staples you likely already have on hand. It starts with canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, then gets seasoned with dried oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic, and a touch of sugar for balance. Grated parmesan cheese adds a savory boost, while frozen Italian meatballs make it incredibly easy—no prep needed!
Cook’s Tips
A 1/2 cup of wine can be added for extra flavor—just note that not all of the alcohol will cook off.
You can use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder; 3 minced cloves work great.
Don’t be tempted to cook the spaghetti in the slow cooker—it doesn’t get hot enough to cook the noodles properly.
Letting the pasta sit in the sauce for about 10 minutes before serving will make it even more flavorful.
Serving Suggestions
Here are easy ways to serve this spaghetti dinner:
- Grab a bag of salad (we love Caesar) and some garlic bread for an easy weeknight dinner.
- If you prefer your noodles not too saucy, keep them separate. This is a great kid-friendly option—just butter the noodles and serve the meatballs on the side.
- Have leftovers? Keep the meatballs and sauce separate and use them to make meatball subs on hoagie buns with melted cheese.
Featured Comment
“Very YUMMY dinner my family and I loved it and I will definitely be making it again.”
– Deborah
Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
- 56 oz. canned tomato sauce, (two 28-oz. cans)
- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. garlic powder, (or 4 garlic cloves minced)
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
- 26 oz. bag frozen Italian meatballs, (any 26–32 oz. bag)
- 8 oz. dried spaghetti, (this is a half of a 1 pound box, cooked according to package directions)
Instructions
- Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, seasonings, sugar, and parmesan cheese to the slow cooker.
- Add the frozen meatballs and stir.
- Cook on low for 5-8 hours.
- When you are almost ready to serve, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions.
- Drain the pasta and add to the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Stir and serve!
- Add additional parmesan cheese if desired.
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Spaghetti Style Recipes for your Crockpot:
Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce and Crockpot Bolognese Sauce are classic, slow-cooked favorites—one simple and hearty, the other rich with ground meat and Italian flavors.
For something bold and briny, try Crockpot Puttanesca Sauce, or go meatless with the flavorful Slow Cooker Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce, loaded with herbs and veggies.
Venison Spaghetti Sauce is a savory twist using ground venison, perfect for hunters or anyone looking for a leaner option.
If you’re craving comfort food, Slow Cooker Million Dollar Spaghetti combines pasta, meat sauce, and creamy cheese for a decadent one-pot meal.
Why don’t you use a full 16oz of pasta?
A full pound would be too much for that amount of sauce. You could try and see if it’s to your liking.
Very YUMMY dinner my family and I loved it and I will definitely be making it again .
This recipe sounds delicious and SUPER simple. Can’t wait to try it. Any suggestion for cooking the pasta IN the sauce? Maybe add beef broth along with the pasta…for…???…and extra 20-30 mins? Unlike me…my hubby is not a big pasta fan because he says pasta doesn’t have much flavor, but he like pasta cooked in sauce to amp up the flavor. Thanks in advance 🙂
The slow cooker doesn’t get hot enough to cook the pasta properly in this recipe – it turns out chalky and mushy. I apologize.