Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti Recipe
This Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti is a comforting, hands-off recipe that combines rich marinara sauce, seasoned ground beef, and creamy cheeses. The sauce slowly simmers in the crockpot to develop deep flavors, while the pasta is cooked separately to perfect al dente texture before layering and baking in the slow cooker with a luscious cheese topping. Ideal for a cozy family meal or easy dinner prep.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Meat
- 48 oz. Pasta Sauce (such as Ragu Old World Style, Newman’s Own Marinara, or Rao’s Marinara)
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
Pasta
- 1 lb. spaghetti noodles (uncooked, to be boiled later)
Cheese Mixture and Topping
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 cup)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce and Meat: Pour the jars of pasta sauce into the slow cooker. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and diced onion together. Once the meat is browned, add minced garlic and cook for one more minute. Drain excess fat, then stir in salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and dried basil. Pour the seasoned meat mixture into the slow cooker over the sauce and stir to combine.
- Slow Cook the Sauce: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Do not open the lid during this time to retain heat and allow flavors to meld.
- Cook the Noodles: When the 6 hours are up, boil the spaghetti noodles in salted boiling water on the stovetop for about 8 minutes, or as directed on the package. The noodles will finish cooking in the slow cooker later.
- Add Noodles to Sauce: Drain the cooked pasta well and add it directly into the slow cooker with the meat sauce. Stir gently to combine and then flatten the noodles evenly into a layer.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. The cream cheese may remain in small chunks, which is fine.
- Add Cheese Layers: Dollop the cream cheese and ricotta mixture over the spaghetti evenly, then use a spatula to spread it out gently across the noodles. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
- Final Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker again and cook on LOW for an additional 20 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt and everything to meld.
- Serve and Enjoy: After the last cook time, your baked spaghetti is ready to be served hot. Enjoy this creamy, cheesy, and flavorful dish!
Notes
- Do not open the slow cooker lid during the initial 6-hour cooking to ensure flavors develop properly.
- Cooking the noodles separately prevents them from becoming mushy in the slow cooker.
- The cream cheese mixture might be a little lumpy; this will melt smoothly during the final cook.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheat nicely.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner meat option.
Keywords: slow cooker baked spaghetti, crockpot spaghetti, baked spaghetti recipe, easy slow cooker pasta, cheesy baked spaghetti
