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This easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe is a no-fuss way to enjoy a classic comfort food—just toss in frozen meatballs, canned tomatoes, and seasonings, then stir in freshly cooked pasta before serving!
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.
What you need For Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs
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! Cooked spaghetti is stirred in just before serving, soaking up all that rich, flavorful sauce.
Variations
Here are the ways you can change up this simple recipe:
- Want to use Jarred Sauce? Simply use three 24 oz. jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce, such as Rao’s or Ragu.
- Any variety of frozen meatballs will work—if we can’t find Italian-style, we go with homestyle.
- Want to give the sauce a little extra flavor? Add a splash of red wine (about 1/4 cup) or a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
- For added veggies, finely diced carrots, bell peppers, or sliced mushrooms cook up beautifully in the slow cooker.
How to Make Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Step One: Add the sauce ingredients to the slow cooker and stir.
Step Two: Add the frozen meatballs, stir again. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Step Three: When the cooking time is up, cook the spaghetti, drain and add to the slow cooker with the meatballs and spaghetti sauce.
Step Four: Serve and enjoy!
Tips:
- Don’t overcook the pasta—cook it separately and stir it in just before serving to avoid mushiness. Cook to al dente and serve immediately.
- If your sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of pasta water to loosen it.
- Prefer a thicker sauce? Let it cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Make this ahead: The sauce and meatballs can be prepped the night before and stored in the fridge, then started the next morning.
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 don’t like your noodles 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.
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, (you can use any size bag ranging from 26 ounces to 32 ounces).
- 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
- Don’t want to make spaghetti sauce from scratch? Simply use three 24 oz. jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce, such as Rao’s or Ragu.
- Any variety of frozen meatballs will work—if we can’t find Italian-style, we go with homestyle.
- Want to give the sauce a little extra flavor? Add a splash of red wine (about 1/4 cup) or a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
- For added veggies, finely diced carrots, bell peppers, or sliced mushrooms cook up beautifully in the slow cooker.
- Don’t overcook the pasta—cook it separately and stir it in just before serving to avoid mushiness. Cook to al dente and serve immediately.
- If your sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of pasta water to loosen it.
- Prefer a thicker sauce? Let it cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Make this ahead: The sauce and meatballs can be prepped the night before and stored in the fridge, then started the next morning.
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.
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.