Slow-Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs
Hands-off tomato sauce with frozen meatballs simmered low and slow for 4-8 hours. Crushed tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning build depth while the slow cooker does the work. Serve over pasta for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or feeding a crowd. This version uses frozen meatballs for convenience and requires minimal prep.
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup red peppers, chopped(optional)zucchini or mushrooms1:1vegetables
taste preference
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes in tomato puree, canned
- 15 ounce tomato sauce, canned
- 1 TBSP tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf null
- 1 ½ pounds meatballs, frozen cookedground beef meatballs made from scratch1.5 lbs ground beef + bindersprotein
homemade control
- spaghetti noodles or pasta
- parmesan(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add chopped onion and red peppers to slow cooker
- 2
Pour crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water over vegetables
- 3
Stir to combine
- 4
Add salt, sugar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf; stir again
- 5
Mix in frozen meatballs
- 6
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours
- 7
Switch to keep warm setting if needed for up to 1-2 hours
- 8
Cook pasta 20 minutes before serving as desired
- 9
Serve noodles topped with sauce and meatballs; garnish with parmesan if desired
Tips
Thaw meatballs in refrigerator overnight for more even cooking, though frozen works fine in slow cooker.
Add red peppers only in final hour on high setting if preferring firmer texture; add at start for very soft peppers.
Stir sauce occasionally during cooking to prevent bottom from scorching and to distribute flavors evenly.
Good to Know
Refrigerate sauce and meatballs in airtight container up to 4 days. Freeze sauce separately from cooked pasta up to 3 months.
Prepare sauce through step 5 up to 8 hours ahead; refrigerate. Add to slow cooker and cook as directed. Cook pasta fresh before serving.
Serve hot over freshly cooked pasta with grated parmesan, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil on the side.
Common Mistakes
Cook pasta too far ahead to avoid mushy texture; boil 20 minutes before serving as recipe states
Skip stirring early to avoid tomato paste clumps; incorporate into liquid before adding other ingredients
Use room-temperature meatballs without reducing cooking time to avoid extended cooking that dries them out
Substitutions
taste preference
homemade control
FAQ
Can I use fresh meatballs instead of frozen?
Yes, but reduce cooking time on low to 6 hours or high to 3 hours to prevent overcooking and drying. Brown fresh meatballs in skillet first for better texture and deeper flavor.
What if the sauce seems too thin?
Simmer uncovered on high for final 30 minutes to reduce liquid. Or stir in additional tomato paste (1-2 TBSP) mixed with small amount of water to thicken without adding bulk.
How long can I keep sauce on warm setting?
Up to 1-2 hours safely on keep warm. For longer holding, transfer to warm serving dish. Reheating on stovetop is safest for maintaining food safety beyond 2 hours.