If your family loves spaghetti and meatballs, then you’ve gotta try this easy, slow cooker version! Loaded with Italian meatballs, ricotta, and mozzarella cheeses, this easy Slow Cooker Cheesy Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe is a fantastic dinner option any night of the week!
If there is a single dish that gets made over and over at my house, it definitely spaghetti and meatballs! This classic Italian comfort food is something that my husband and son absolutely LOVE. I will say one thing that I don’t always love about making this dish is hauling out and cleaning all of the pots and pans. That’s why this super-easy Slow Cooker Cheesy Spaghetti and Meatballs is one of my best crock pot recipes and a favorite at our house.
I really love the fact that much of this recipe is made in the slow cooker. You’ll start by slow cooking your sauce and meatball for about 6 hours. To make it super-simple, I use a jar of pasta sauce, a couple of cans of diced tomatoes, and a package of frozen Italian meatballs. You’ll add these items all at once (no need to thaw the meatballs); just toss it all in, stir and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce.
Once this step is done, and just before dinner, you’ll add the pasta and cheeses. You’ll need to cook your noodles to al-dente (cook it about one minute less than the package indicates.) before adding them to the sauce and meatballs. Then stir the pasta into the sauce that is still in the slow cooker. Add dollops of the ricotta cheese mixture, spread evenly, and then top with the mozzarella cheese. Put the slow cooker lid back on and cook on low for another 20-30 minutes for the cheeses to melt.
The pasta will be cooked perfectly and the cheeses will melt wonderfully together to create the most delicious spaghetti and meatballs you’ve ever tasted! Serve with a fresh green salad and garlic bread for a fantastic family dinner!
Here’s how this easy, delicious slow cooker meal comes together:
Ingredients
- 26 ounce pkg., frozen, Italian meatballs
- 24 ounce jar, pasta sauce
- 30 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 lb. spaghetti cooked to al-dente (make sure to add after slow-cooking is complete.)
- 15 ounce part-skim ricotta cheese
- ½ c. shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. garlic salt
- 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- To the slow cooker, add the frozen meatballs, pasta sauce and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Cover and set the slow cooker on low for 6 hours.
- Once the slow cooking is complete, add the cooked (al-dente) spaghetti, and stir to combine the sauce, meatballs and noodles.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, parmesan, basil, oregano and garlic salt. Add scoops of the ricotta mixture on top of the spaghetti and spread evenly. Top with the chredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with lid and set the slow cooker for another 20-30 minutes in order for the cheeses to melt.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Sarah says
This was delicious and a huge hit with my family. Easily makes 8+ servings depending on how hungry people are. And super simple to make.
Anton Rukaj says
Your husband and son should enjoy this dish because it tastes really delicious
Lita Watson says
The color of your dish looks so amazing! Can i set the slow cooker on high to cooked this dish? How long will it take to finish?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Hi Lita. Changing from LOW to HIGH temp on the slow cooker usually halves the cooking time. So you’d be looking at about 2-3 hours. That being said this dish better at the lower temp so nothing overcooks or burns along the edges.