Description
This Crock Pot Spaghetti Casserole is a comforting and easy slow-cooker meal that combines hearty ground beef and Italian sausage with a rich marinara sauce, tender spaghetti, and melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for busy days, it requires minimal prep and delivers a deliciously cheesy pasta casserole cooked to perfection in your slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Tomato Sauce Mixture
- 24 ounces marinara sauce (1 standard jar)
- 1 cup water
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes (1 standard can)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch granulated sugar
Pasta and Cheese
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles, broken into thirds
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated Parmesan (for garnish)
- Fresh parsley or basil (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the Meat and Onions: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add ground beef, Italian sausage, and diced onion. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon until the beef is fully cooked. Drain any excess grease and return the mixture to the skillet.
- Add Garlic and Sauce Ingredients: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour marinara sauce into the skillet. Rinse the jar with 1 cup of water and add this to the skillet as well. Add diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Pour the meat and sauce mixture into the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker, spreading evenly.
- Add Spaghetti: Top the sauce mixture with broken spaghetti noodles. Stir gently to combine the noodles evenly throughout the mixture.
- Add Cheese and Cook: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours, allowing the spaghetti to cook and the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Once the cooking time is complete, serve hot garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil for added color and flavor.
Notes
- Breaking the spaghetti noodles into thirds helps them cook fully and mix better in the casserole.
- You can substitute ground turkey for a leaner option, but the cooking time remains the same.
- For extra flavor, add a splash of red wine to the sauce mixture when cooking.
- This dish can be prepared the night before; simply refrigerate before cooking in the slow cooker.
- If you prefer, sprinkle some extra mozzarella or Parmesan on top before serving for cheesier results.
