Cook up a rich and tasty spaghetti casserole with zero effort with this delicious Crock Pot recipe. Simple and easy to prep, have a delicious family meal waiting for you at the end of the day.
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Crock Pot Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
When it comes to making a family meal with the least effort, the slow cooker is always a great way to do it. Dinners come out so wonderfully rich and flavorful!
This spaghetti casserole is an effortless way to get a pasta dinner on the table and it’s perfect after a long day, just set it to go earlier in the day and have a tasty meal waiting for you.
Made with ground beef, Italian sausage and marinara sauce, this is one hearty and satisfying recipe!
Be sure to try my Baked Spaghetti and Creamy Chicken Spaghetti too!
Why you’ll love this Spaghetti Casserole recipe:
- SO EASY: Just brown the beef and soften the vegetables and let the slow cooker do it’s thing.
- FULL MEAL: This is such an effortless dinner to make, you can serve it with sides if you like, but it’s filling and delicious enough to serve by itself.
- KID FRIENDLY: Made with pantry staple ingredients, this is a delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy.
This delicious spaghetti casserole is such a great recipe to include in your weekly meal rotation. Hassle free and loved by all!
How to make Crock Pot Spaghetti Casserole
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Brown the beef, sausage and onion in a skillet.
- Stir in the garlic, marinara sauce and water.
- Mix in the tomatoes and seasonings.
- Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the spaghetti and top with cheese.
- Cook on low.
Yes, if you have an Instant Pot you can easily adapt this recipe. Rather than mixing everything together, layer the ingredients in the Instant Pot and cover the spaghetti with water. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and then stir in the spaghetti to serve.
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’.
Let any leftovers cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep well for 4 days and can be reheated in a pot on the stovetop.
Yes! This makes for a great freezer meal and it will keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw the casserole in the fridge fully before reheating til piping hot.
Serving Suggestions
You can easily serve this Crockpot spaghetti casserole by itself, or serve with favorite sides like…
However you serve up this pasta dinner, it’s cozy, comforting and so delicious!
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.
When you have no idea what to cook for dinner, this recipe is a great go to. Hassle free, super tasty and loved by the whole family!
More Pasta Recipes We Love
This Crock Pot spaghetti casserole is one delicious pasta dish. Set it off earlier in the day and have one yummy and comforting meal waiting for you.
More Slow Cooker Recipes we Love
- Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Beef Tacos
- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Chicken Wings
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Crock Pot Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
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
Equipment
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.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
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
Hi! Can I double the recipe and cook for same amount of time? Also, any way to add a vegetable? Maybe broccoli or spinach?
This recipe is designed for a 6-quart crockpot. If you happen to have an 8-quart crockpot, you can use that and the cooking time will be about the same. If you’re able to fit a double batch in the 6-quart crockpot, you will need to increase the cooking time, but this will depend on your crockpot. I would advise you to check on the crockpot at the 4 hour mark and every 15-30 minutes after that for doneness.
As for veggies, you can definitely add them. It’s up to you if you want to cook them before or add them to the crockpot raw. I would say add them raw if you like your veggies to stay together, and add them cooked if you want them to fall apart and become part of the sauce. Broccoli or spinach both sound great, but I would stir in the spinach (or any delicate greens) at the end to avoid it becoming slimy!
Thank you! Excited to try it!
Can I put in a whole 16 oz of noodles?
If you have the space!
I’ve made this a few times now and each time it comes out perfect. So easy and everyone loves it. I’m sure you could tweak it if you had to, but I find it great as is. Lots of flavor and the spaghetti cooks perfectly. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Mark!
I tried out this recipe and it turned out pretty well I’m hoping to use the leftovers for dinner tonight but your tips didn’t say how to reheat it. Can reheat it the crockpot with a little extra liquid?
On the warm setting only!