Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti {Million Dollar Spaghetti}
162 Comments Mar 04, 2025
Updated May 11, 2025
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This Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti features a rich, slow-simmered beef sauce layered with tender pasta, a creamy cheese mixture, and a melty mozzarella topping. Often called Million Dollar Spaghetti, no matter the name, it’s pure comfort food and absolutely delicious!
What is the difference between normal spaghetti and baked spaghetti?
- Regular spaghetti has just noodles, meat, and sauce, and made on the stove top.
- Baked Spaghetti is spaghetti and sauce topped with a creamy cream cheese and ricotta mixture and topped with cheese, and baked to meld all the flavors together. In this case we are using our slow cooker to “bake” this casserole. Baked spaghetti tastes like an ultra decadent lasagna (but of course with different noodles). – We also love to make Crockpot Lasagna and Ravioli Lasagna.
Ingredients for Million Dollar Spaghetti
Here is what you need, find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below the images.
- Pasta sauce – You can use Ragu, Newman’s Own, Rao’s or even make your own homemade crockpot marinara sauce. Just use two 24-oz. jars.
- Ground beef – Cook ground beef on the stove top with salt, pepper, basil, garlic and onion.
- Spaghetti noodles – One pound of cooked spaghetti noodles will be added to this after the sauce has simmered all day.
- Cream cheese mixture – Cream cheese, ricotta and salt make up the creamy layer in this million dollar spaghetti.
- (The full recipe is in the recipe card below the images)
How to make Crockpot Baked Spaghetti:
Step One – Add both jars of pasta sauce to the slow cooker.
Step Two – Cook the ground beef in a skillet on the stovetop, cook with the seasonings and onion, add the garlic the last few minutes of cooking. Drain the grease and add to the crockpot with the sauce.
Step Three – Stir the mixture and cook on LOW for 6 hours. WAIT TO ADD THE NOODLES AND CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE.
Step Four – Near the end of the cooking time cook the spaghetti noodles on the stovetop. I cook mine for 8 minutes exactly, slightly undercooking them for they will cook a little more when we assemble the casserole. Drain the noodles and add them to the cooked sauce.
Step Five – Stir the noodles into the sauce and slightly press the noodles into an even layer (like you would for a casserole).
Step Six – In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, ricotta, and salt. Add this mixture on top of the noodles and sauce in dollops.
Step Seven – Spread the dollops out evenly over the pasta.
Step Eight – Sprinkle over the mozzarella cheese. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook for an additional 20 minutes on LOW.
Step Nine – Turn the slow cooker off so the dish doesn’t overcook. Serve and enjoy!
Variations
This recipe is PERFECT as-is. But you can make changes to suit your tastes:
- Spaghetti or linguine noodles are best for this recipe. You can use penne or rigatoni if desired. I do not recommend angel hair noodles or egg noodles for they are not the right texture for this dish.
- Some do not like ricotta. You can use more cream cheese instead or use cottage cheese and you’ll still have a wonderful meal.
- For a healthier baked spaghetti, use ground turkey and add extra seasonings for flavor. For a more Italian taste, swap in sweet or spicy crumbled Italian sausage.
- For a vegetarian option, use bagged soy crumbles instead of beef.
- Swirl in a few tablespoons of pesto for added basil flavor.
My Serving Ideas
This meal is FILLING, so no need to go overboard with sides.
- Garlic bread, focaccia, or breadsticks.
- Roasted Broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
- Fresh green salad and dressing.
- Top with Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes.
Featured Comment
“This recipe, exactly as written, is AMAZING!! The only thing I did was add green and red bell peppers to the ground beef mixture. Tastes like it came out of the actual oven. I paired with a glass of red wine and Rhodes parker house rolls. Perfect for a Wednesday night with minimal effort.”
– Author Name
Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti Recipe {Million Dollar Spaghetti}
How to Video
Ingredients
- 48 oz. Pasta Sauce, Such as Ragu Old World Style, Newman's own Marinara, or Rao's Marinara.
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 lb. spaghetti noodles, see below for cooking instructions, these don’t get cooked or added until after the sauce cooks for 6 hours
Cheese topping after sauce cooks:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Pour the jars of sauce in to the slow cooker. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the meat and onions together. After the meat is browned add the garlic, cook for a minute a longer. Drain the fat. Add the salt, pepper, oregano and basil and stir. Pour the meat onto the sauce in the slow cooker and stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- After the cooking time is up, cook the noodles as directed on the package in boiling water on the stove-top. I cooked my noodles for exactly 8 minutes after adding them to the boiling water. The noodles will cook a bit more after adding them to the slow cooker.
- Drain the noodles and add them to the meat sauce in the slow cooker. Stir, then flatten the noodles in an even layer.
- In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, ricotta and salt. The cream cheese will be in small chunks, but that is fine.
- Dollop the cream cheese/ricotta mixture over the spaghetti, then use a spatula to even it out over the spaghetti. Add the mozzarella cheese.
- Cover and cook for an extra 20 minutes on LOW.
- Serve and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Spaghetti or linguine noodles are best for this recipe. You can use penne or rigatoni if desired. I do not recommend angel hair noodles or egg noodles for they are not the right texture for this dish.
- Some do not like ricotta. You can use more cream cheese instead or use cottage cheese and you’ll still have a wonderful meal.
- For a healthier baked spaghetti, use ground turkey and add extra seasonings for flavor. For a more Italian taste, swap in sweet or spicy crumbled Italian sausage.
- For a vegetarian option, use bagged soy crumbles instead of beef.
- Swirl in a few tablespoons of pesto for added basil flavor.
- Garlic bread, focaccia, or breadsticks.
- Roasted Broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
- Fresh green salad and dressing.
- Top with Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More pasta recipes:
- For a creamy and comforting meal, try Pesto Chicken Mozzarella Pasta or Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta, both rich in flavor and easy to make.
- Spice up dinner with Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Fettuccine, or go classic with Skillet Spaghetti and Meatballs made with Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce for extra depth.
- If you’re craving something cheesy, Slow Cooker Angel Chicken and Cheesy Chicken Penne are perfect, creamy, and full of flavor. Want and EASY dinner? Try My Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs which has frozen meatballs.
I grow my own basil and make my own sauce vs store bought.. But I found this to be a splendid idea. We are farmers, athletes, and a very large family. Some nights I am so exhausted and really don’t want to cook late in the evening. This was great and ready when the family was in for dinner.
Can it be cooked without the ground beef and cook with Italian sausages only?
Yes! That will work great.
Do you think this would work with ground turkey rather than beef? I don’t eat beef and dairy in the same meal but there’s no way I’m skipping that cheese!
Yes! It will work great.
I haven’t made it yet but will soon, I will add chopped green bell pepper, bay leaf and red pepper flakes with your ingredients.
wondering why the cooked meat and already made pasta sauce cooks for 6 hours….
sounds good though
Slow cooking it really makes it taste better, I promise!
This is the best spaghetti I have ever had
This recipe, exactly as written, is AMAZING!! The only thing I did was add green and red bell peppers to the ground beef mixture. Tastes like it came out of the actual oven. I paired with a glass of red wine and Rhodes parker house rolls. Perfect for a Wednesday night with minimal effort.
Easy recipe and can not wait to eat it
Will be making this for sure
Can the noodles be cooked in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker?