Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 c. freshly chopped parsley
1 large egg, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 (28-oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes
1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 lb. spaghetti
Grated Parmesan, for garnish
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1Make meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, egg, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Form into 16 meatballs and place in the bottom of a Crock Pot.Step 2In another large bowl, mix together crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, oregano, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Pour sauce over meatballs. Cover Crock Pot with lid and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 hours.Step 3Add broth spaghetti to Crock Pot, breaking noodles in half to fit and stirring to coat noodles. Replace lid and continue cooking on low for 1 1/2 hour more hours, stirring about every 30 minutes and breaking up any clumps of noodles and adding more broth as needed. Step 4Garnish with Parmesan and parsley before serving.
If you don’t want to cook the spaghetti in the crock-pot, the sauce and meatballs can still be made in the slow cooker. Letting the sauce cook slowly all day is a great way to get a flavorful sauce and tender meatballs without worrying about simmering and constant stirring on the stove. If you plan to make the spaghetti separately on the stove, just skip adding the broth and noodles to the crock-pot and follow the recipe to cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. We use chicken broth to cook the pasta to add another layer of umami, but you can just as easily use water! Don’t forget to salt your water! Love this recipe? Check out our slow-cooker chicken alfredo for your next pasta night. Still hungry? We’ve got even more pasta ideas for you!If you’ve made this crock-pot spaghetti recipe, we want to know what you think! Drop your comments and tips down below! Editor’s Note: The introduction to this recipe was updated on May 4, 2022 to include more information.
