Slow Cooker Spaghetti Casserole has a wonderfully meaty sauce and lots of cheese. Pure comfort food. The pasta cooks right in the slow cooker. So easy.
If you’re looking for a version of this recipe that is not made in a slow cooker, try this Spaghetti Casserole recipe.
How To Make Slow Cooker Spaghetti Casserole
There’s just a little pre-cooking. The meat has to be browned first and then all the sauce ingredients are added to the pan. You’ll put half the sauce in the bottom of a 6-quart crock pot, top with the uncooked spaghetti, and then cover the spaghetti with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle the cheese mixture on top and cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
A NOTE ABOUT PASTA COOKED IN THE SLOW COOKER.
Pasta cooked in a slow cooker is softer than pasta boiled in water on the stovetop. I don’t find it to be at all mushy, but some people may not be a fan of the texture. Most people seem to love it, but there are a few naysayers.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItOne advantage of cooking the pasta in the slow cooker is it soaks up lots of meaty flavor and the casserole has more of a cohesive flavor.
Recipe Suggestions
I like to use a combination of mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cheddar cheese, but you can play around with the cheese. Use just mozzarella and Parmesan if you wish. I just think the cheddar cheese adds another flavor dimension.
Storage
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and can be reheated in a microwave.
More Slow Cooker Pasta Recipes
- Crock Pot Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole
- Crock Pot Chicken and Noodles
- Slow Cooker Lasagna
- Slow Cooker Sausage Lasagna
- Crock Pot Baked Ziti
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo with Sausage
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teapsoon pepper
- 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken in thirds
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place the ground beef, sausage, and onion in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown and crumble the meat. Drain off grease.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for a minute or two.
- Transfer half the sauce to a lightly greased 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the broken spaghetti. Top with remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle on the cheese. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
- Stir well and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this with fake ground and garden fresh herbs. It’s super good, easy, quick, and makes leftovers.
Interesting. Had a cheese flavor and we did not use cheese.
The spaghetti was definitely a different texture, but not bad.
I was a good meal for set it and forget it. Will make it again with some revisions !
Can I use elbow macaroni?
Can I use 2cups mozzarella instead of cheddar
I keep meaning to post… this is SO GOOD, y’all. I have had bariatric surgery, so I’m low carb/high protein/low fat. I use half the noodles, add a *little* unflavored protein powder, and it’s still amazing. Thank you so much for making dinner easy, even for those of us with weird dietary requirements!
This was so delicious! Thank you for sharing! I will definitely be making it again!
The meat sauce is delicious. Just wondering about the following scenario: it was so thick that I first thinned it with a cup of beef broth so that we could be served – otherwise, a serving spoon would stand upright in the sauce. When reheated, I added a total of 4 cups of liquid – 1 c. of tomato sauce and 3 c. of beef broth to thin it out so that it could be scooped with a soup ladle. Your thoughts, insight?
Just finished eating your spaghetti casserole. Unfortunately for me, I had to leave out the hot sausage, the salt, and I doubled the hamburger. My wife can’t eat sausage, but I love it. Woe is me. It was delicious even with the modifications, but I’m sure that it would have been better with hot sausage. We prefer thin spaghetti, so I used angel hair pasta. I was a bit surprised to find the food charred a bit around the edges since I was careful to follow the directions.
So very sorry to hear about your Mom. I Pray the Lord will keep her safe. I also Pray for you and all your family to stay safe from the Virus that is gripping the Nation.
Loving the recipes and keep up the good work.
Love ya.