Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 24 frozen Italian-style meatballs
- 1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 12 oz spaghetti noodles
- 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh basil (optional)
Set Up Your Crockpot with Meatballs and Sauce
Lightly spray the inside of your crockpot with nonstick spray.
Layer the frozen meatballs across the bottom – they don’t need to be in a perfect single layer, just spread them out reasonably.
Pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs, then add the beef broth. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and garlic powder over everything.
Cook the Base for 3-4 Hours on Low
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until the mixture is bubbling and the meatballs are heated through.
You’ll know it’s ready when you can see the sauce bubbling around the edges.
Add the Spaghetti and Finish Cooking
Break the spaghetti noodles in half so they fit better in the crockpot.
Add the pasta in a crisscross pattern – don’t just dump it all in one direction or it’ll clump together. Give it a brief stir to get most of the noodles under the liquid, then put the lid back on.
Cook for 15 minutes, then give it another brief stir. The noodles on top will start to soften and sink down.
Continue cooking for another 15 minutes, then taste a piece of pasta. If it’s still too firm, cook for another 5-10 minutes.
The pasta should be tender but not mushy – it’ll continue to cook a bit even after you turn off the heat.
Serve hot with a sprinkle of parmesan and chopped fresh basil if you want.
Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 24 frozen Italian-style meatballs
- 1 jar marinara sauce 24 oz
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 12 oz spaghetti noodles
- 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese optional
- 1 tsp fresh basil optional
Instructions
- Spray crockpot with nonstick spray and spread frozen meatballs across the bottom.
- Pour marinara sauce and beef broth over meatballs.
- Sprinkle Italian seasoning and garlic powder over everything.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until sauce bubbles and meatballs are heated through.
- Break spaghetti noodles in half and add to crockpot in a crisscross pattern.
- Stir briefly to submerge most noodles under liquid.
- Cook for 15 minutes, then stir again.
- Cook for another 15 minutes and taste pasta for doneness.
- Cook 5-10 minutes more if needed until pasta is tender but not mushy.
- Serve hot with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired.
