Easy Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe

This easy crockpot spaghetti and meatballs recipe is made right in your slow cooker! Let the sauce simmer while you accomplish other things around the house. This family favorite recipe makes a perfect weeknight dinner with tons of flavor!

Original post: January 2015 | Updated: January 2023

Why This Recipe Works

My absolute favorite thing about this delicious meal is that is a fairly hands-off, low-maintenance meal. I can toss a few ingredients into my slow cooker, press a few buttons and enjoy the smells that fill my home. It is the easiest dinner you could ask for on those busy weeknights!

My second favorite thing about this slow cooker spaghetti recipe is its flavor! Allowing the ingredients to swim together all day long produces the most flavorful, comforting meal you could ask for this week.

Recipe Ingredients

Olive oil – Replace with another variety of oil such as canola oil, if desired. Butter can act as a great replacement, too.

Yellow onion – A milder onion is recommended, such as yellow or white onions. To add a bit of a kick, use a red onion instead!

Parsley – I love using fresh Italian parsley in my pasta dishes, but you can replace 1/4 cup fresh parsley with 1 teaspoon dried parsley.

Garlic – Freshly minced garlic is always best for Italian cooking, but can be replaced with up to 1 teaspoon garlic powder.

Sugar – Omit the granulated sugar if you prefer not to have a slight edge of sweetness in your pasta sauce.

Italian seasoning – If you don’t have an Italian seasoning mix on hand, replace with an equal amount of dried oregano and parsley.

Tomato sauce – Consider making your own tomato sauce or replace a portion of it with tomato paste to add a robustness that you will swoon over.

Pasta sauce – A jar of store-bought sauce will suffice and taste great! Consider replacing the store-bought version with a much tastier homemade variety if you have the time for it. Scroll for a large selection of pasta sauce recipes!

Meatballs – Using a package of frozen meatballs makes this the easiest recipe on the planet. If you wish to use homemade meatballs instead, peruse the list of recipes below! Pork or ground beef meatballs will taste great.

Spaghetti – Regular spaghetti noodles, angel hair pasta or any variety of pasta cooked to al dente will get the job done deliciously!

How To Make Spaghetti and Meatballs in a Crock Pot

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, parsley, garlic, jalapenos (if using), sugar and Italian seasoning.

Cook, stirring frequently, until veggies are soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add the cooked veggies to a crockpot, along with the tomato sauce, pasta sauce and meatballs.

Set to low heat with a cooking time of 7 to 8 hours, or high heat for 4 to 5 hours.

Step 3

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Add dry spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse.

Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles and top with Parmesan cheese. This is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes of all time. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Pour extra sauce over meatballs, then top with grated Parmesan cheese, freshly ground black pepper and fresh parsley!
• Jalapeno peppers are optional. Only add them if you are up for a bit of a spicy end result.
• Green bell peppers add such a nice crunch and flavor to the final dish. If you have red or orange bell peppers on hand, feel free to use those instead.
• If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with beef broth or extra tomato sauce.

Can You Freeze Spaghetti and Meatballs

Here are our best tips about how to freeze spaghetti and meatballs so you can enjoy them later.

FAQ About Spaghetti and Meatballs

Best Spaghetti Recipes

• Simplify a classic dinner favorite by making Instant Pot spaghetti. Everything is cooked in a single pot in just 30 minutes!
• Try trading out a jar of spaghetti sauce for alfredo sauce instead! Read on for tips about how to make spaghetti with alfredo cream sauce.
• Easy baked spaghetti is a hit with the the whole family. Dinner is on the table in less than 45 minutes and every belly will be satisfied.

Best Pasta Sauce Recipes

• Wondering what to do with leftover sauce? If you don’t want to toss it, this roundup will provide you with recipes for leftover spaghetti sauce so nothing goes to waste.
• Instant Pot pasta sauce is a super easy, meaty and hearty tomato-based sauce. Using a pressure cooker to cook fresh pasta sauce is my favorite way to prepare sauce and it tastes like is has simmered on the stove all day.
• Marinara sauce is the best! Skip store-bought and make this perfect dipping sauce for bread sticks or to add to your next pasta dish. Made in just a few minutes, this will become your new favorite easy sauce.
• Transform two cans of tomato sauce into a homemade spaghetti sauce that everyone will love. Pasta sauce has never been easier or more affordable.
• Transform a can of tomato paste (plus a few spices) into a delicious, savory, easy pasta sauce that’ll fill all the bellies around your table tonight! Done in just 20 minutes and made using only a few ingredients.
• Once you make this spaghetti sauce using fresh tomatoes, you’ll never go store-bought again! Goes great on spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli and more!

Meatball Recipes

• Baked homemade meatballs are super easy to make and extremely delicious. Serve these tender meatballs as a main hearty meal or set them atop a heaping plate of pasta!
• This Instant Pot meatball recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Done in 30 minutes, your whole family will enjoy having this delicious ground beef dinner placed before them on those busy weeknights.

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