Easy slow cooker spaghetti casserole in five simple steps

Cooktop Cove: Easy slow cooker spaghetti casserole in five simple steps

By Matt Jenner

Create an Italian feast right in your slow cooker! This hearty spaghetti casserole is filled with classic Italian flavors that'll taste like it came right out of nonna's kitchen. Pieces of spaghetti pasta are slow cooked with tomato sauce, ground beef, basil, and plenty of cheese, to create a dish that you could serve to your friends or family any night of the week.

While the recipe below calls for your favorite brand of jarred tomato sauce, you can feel free to use your homemade sauce if you have that on hand. Get your kids in the kitchen to help break up the pasta before putting them in the slow cooker! Or, if you don't have spaghetti in your pantry, substitute in your favorite shape of pasta. With only five easy steps, you can't go wrong with this dish!

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Casserole

4-6

20 mins

4 hrs

4 hrs 20 mins

8 oz spaghetti, uncooked, broken into pieces

24 oz tomato pasta sauce (store-bought or homemade)

2 pounds 80/20 ground beef

1 yellow onion, chopped

14 oz fire-roasted tomatoes, drained & diced

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

fresh chopped basil (to garnish)

Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

In a large skillet, cook together the ground beef and onion until the meat is browned and the onions have become translucent. Season with salt to taste. Drain and set aside.

Lightly spray the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Pour half of the ground beef mixture into the crockpot, and cover with the uncooked spaghetti noodles. Pour the remaining ground beef over the noodles.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta sauce, roasted tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and water. Stir until fully blended. Pour mixture into the slow cooker, making sure the pasta is fully submerged.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low heat for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the lid and cover with cheddar cheese. Re-cover with the lid, and cook an additional 2 hours on low.

Serve directly from the slow cooker into individual bowls. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil, season with salt and pepper (if needed), and serve hot.

Pro-tip: If the liquid does not fully submerge the dry pasta, just add a little more water until it is covered.

Pro-tip: Use your favorite pasta sauce with mushrooms or other garden vegetables for even more flavor.