3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

slow cooker spaghetti and meat sauce in the crockpot

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3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

My easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meat Sauce is made with only 3 ingredients that are pantry staples and easy to find. This is a budget-friendly 1-pot dinner that families and picky eaters both love. There's no preparation other than dumping the ingredients into the crockpot so it makes a great busy weeknight dinner.

Prep Time5

Cook Time4

Total Time4 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Low Lactose

Keyword: easy crockpot hamburger helper, slow cooker hamburger helper, slow cooker spaghetti

Servings:

Calories: 389kcal

Author: Kristina Tipps

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
5 cups spaghetti sauce or two 24 ounce jars
1 lb pasta

Instructions

Add the ground beef, sauce and 3 cups of water to the slow cooker. Cover and set to low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
With 20 minutes left, add the pasta and stir to make sure it's covered by the liquid. Cover and cook until pasta is soft, adding more water if needed.
Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Notes

Storing:

Fridge: store in a covered container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: you can store this is the freezer for up to 6 months but the pasta will become a lot softer. When you reheat it the texture may not be as enjoyable as it was when you ate it fresh.
Reheat: use the microwave to warm and if frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight or use the defrost setting on your microwave.

Tips:

The sauce will be watery in the beginning because of the extra water added. This is okay because the pasta will absorb it later on. Thinning out the tomato sauce early on also keeps it from burning. You may also need to add more than 3 cups.
Throw in some chopped vegetables to make it heartier.
Use beef broth instead of water or add an Italian seasoning blend to make it even more flavorful.

Nutrition