Add raw noodles into a slow cooker for an easy recipe that anyone can master

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Ask any true Italian about spaghetti sauce, and the answer will always be, "It takes hours to develop flavor and depth." Well, most of us don't have hours (or even the patience required) to tend a simmering pot of spaghetti sauce. Thankfully, this is just the type of task your slow cooker was designed to do.
Slow cooker spaghetti requires minimal prep, so most of your time will be spent deciding on whether to serve garlic bread or a tossed green salad alongside the meal you appear to have labored over all day. Relax, though. We'll keep your secret! So ... let's get cooking!
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Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
·       2 pounds ground beef
·       1 large white or yellow onion, finely chopped
·       3 cloves garlic, minced
·       29 ounces (858 ml.) tomato sauce
·       3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
·       8 ounce can (227 g.) sliced mushrooms, drained
·      48 ounces (1420 ml.) tomato juice
·       salt and pepper, to taste
·       1 pound (454 g.) dry spaghetti, preferably thin, broken in half
*Optional: freshly chopped basil and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1. Spray your slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray, then brown the ground beef in a large skillet, drain off the fat, and transfer the beef to the slow cooker. 
Tip: If you prefer, you can also sauté the onions until they are translucent before adding them to the slow cooker as well.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients (except for the pasta) to the slow cooker. Stir thoroughly.
3. Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
4. During the last 30 minutes of the cooking time, stir in the dry pasta and cook on high until the pasta is tender. Tip: If you choose a thicker pasta, you'll need to adjust the final cooking time (10 minutes more should do the trick).
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5. Stir and serve with garlic bread and/or a tossed green salad. Enjoy!
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