By Becky Hardin
Published May 30, 2023
Crock Pot Spaghetti is an easy, hands-off way to make everyone’s favorite weeknight dinner. Pasta goes straight into the slow cooker with a tasty marinara sauce made with ground beef and Italian sausage, tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Top everything off with lots of mozzarella cheese for a spaghetti casserole the whole family is going to love!
What’s in Crockpot Spaghetti Casserole?
If you love baked spaghetti , you’re going to love how easy it is to make this cheesy spaghetti recipe in a Crock Pot!
- Ground Beef: I recommend using 80/20 ground beef in spaghetti sauce since it has more flavor and juiciness. But you can use a leaner option.
- Italian Sausage: Ground Italian Sausage adds more savory flavor to the meat sauce mixture.
- Spaghetti Noodles: Of course you need spaghetti! Either break noodles into thirds, or buy a box of pot-size spaghetti.
- Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite jar of sauce; or try our homemade marinara , or homemade pasta sauce .
- Diced Tomatoes: A can of diced tomatoes adds more texture and flavor into the sauce.
- Onions: Mix diced onion into the meat sauce. I recommend using white or yellow onions.
- Garlic: Minced garlic adds more savoriness.
- Italian Seasoning: This blend is a mix of oregon, basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram, and crushed red pepper.
- Water: Water helps to thin out the sauce.
- Shredded Mozzarella: Top the entire casserole with lots of cheese so that it bakes and melts into everything.
- Granulated Sugar: A pinch of granulated sugar sweetens things up just a tad for the perfect flavor.
- Salt & Pepper: A little bit of salt and pepper helps to create the right taste.
- Olive Oil: Use olive oil to cook the meat.
Pro Tip: If you prefer spaghetti and meatballs over spaghetti casserole, skip the meat in the crockpot, and add these old-fashioned Italian Meatballs when you serve!
Variations on Slow Cooker Spaghetti Casserole
It’s easy to switch out a few ingredients to make this Crock Pot spaghetti recipe perfect for any night of the week.
- Chicken Spaghetti : Instead of ground beef and sausage, use ground chicken and follow the same instructions. You can also use leftover or shredded chicken (fully cooked), and start at Step 2. If you prefer, use alfredo sauce instead of marinara for a creamier dish.
- Taco Spaghetti Casserole: Swap Italian seasoning for taco seasoning ; leave out the sausage; use diced tomatoes with green chiles; and use cheddar or colby jack instead of mozzarella. You can also mix in black beans or corn if you like.
- Vegetarian: Skip the ground beef and sausage, and you’ll have a meat-free spaghetti with marinara. Or you can use a plant-based ground meat if you like.
If you don’t want all of the ingredients “baked” together, I recommend making this Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce instead. Then you can pair it with freshly boiled pasta!
Cook spaghetti casserole in a slow cooker set on LOW for 4 hours.
Yes, change it to the WARM setting and it will keep warm to 2 hours
Yes, put uncooked noodles directly in the slow cooker with the sauce. There’s no need to par-boil it first.
To make this dish meat free, you can omit the sausage and meat and add in other veggies like bell peppers and mushrooms. Alternatively you could use Beyond Meat sausage and ground ‘beef’.
If you prefer to use a pressure cooker, follow my Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe instead!
How to Store and Reheat
Let leftover Crock Pot baked spaghetti cool to room temperature. Then store it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Reheat on the stovetop, microwave, or slow cooker, heating until fully warmed through.
How to Freeze
This slow cooker spaghetti makes for a great freezer meal because it will keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight before reheating it.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious Crockpot spaghetti casserole with fresh garlic bread or Olive Garden style breadsticks , and a chicken caesar salad or Greek salad . This dish also tastes great with parmesan roasted potatoes , roasted mushrooms , or Air Fryer broccoli .
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ▢ 1 pound ground beef
- ▢ 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- ▢ 1 cup onion diced
- ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 24 ounces marinara sauce 1 standard jar
- ▢ 1 cup water
- ▢ 14 ounces diced tomatoes 1 standard can
- ▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ Pinch granulated sugar
- ▢ 8 ounces spaghetti noodles broken into thirds
- ▢ 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
Video
Instructions
- In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add ground beef, sausage, and onion and cook 5-6 minutes, until beef is cooked through, crumbling with a spoon as you cook. Drain any excess grease and return it to the skillet. 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground Italian sausage, 1 cup onion
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the marinara sauce, pouring the water into the jar and swishing it around to remove any excess sauce, then add that to the skillet. Add diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar, stirring to combine. 3 cloves garlic, 24 ounces marinara sauce, 14 ounces diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, Pinch granulated sugar, 1 cup water
- Transfer the mixture to the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Top with broken spaghetti and stir together. 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
- Top with mozzarella, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours. 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- Serve garnished with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley or basil.
Equipment
- Crockpot
Becky’s Tips
- Long pasta like spaghetti or linguini work great in this recipe, but you can use shorter pasta like penne or fusilli.
- I made this with my favorite marinara sauce , but any pasta sauces will work great.
- Once cooked, you can keep the spaghetti warm in the slow cooker for up to 2 hours.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Crockpot Pasta Recipes We Love
- Crockpot Baked Ziti
- Crockpot Chicken Tetrazzini
- Crockpot Chicken Alfredo
- Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
- Crockpot Mac and Cheese
- Crockpot Lasagna
- Crockpot Stuffed Shells
Crock Pot Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 cup onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 ounces marinara sauce 1 standard jar
- 1 cup water
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes 1 standard can
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch granulated sugar
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles broken into thirds
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add ground beef, sausage, and onion and cook 5-6 minutes, until beef is cooked through, crumbling with a spoon as you cook. Drain any excess grease and return it to the skillet. 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground Italian sausage, 1 cup onion
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the marinara sauce, pouring the water into the jar and swishing it around to remove any excess sauce, then add that to the skillet. Add diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar, stirring to combine. 3 cloves garlic, 24 ounces marinara sauce, 14 ounces diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, Pinch granulated sugar, 1 cup water
- Transfer the mixture to the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Top with broken spaghetti and stir together. 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
- Top with mozzarella, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours. 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- Serve garnished with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley or basil.
Video
Notes
- Long pasta like spaghetti or linguini work great in this recipe, but you can use shorter pasta like penne or fusilli.
- I made this with my favorite marinara sauce , but any pasta sauces will work great.
- Once cooked, you can keep the spaghetti warm in the slow cooker for up to 2 hours.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
