Description
This Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti is a comforting, hands-off meal perfect for busy days. It features a hearty meat and tomato sauce simmered in the slow cooker for 6 hours, combined with tender spaghetti noodles, a creamy blend of ricotta and cream cheese, and melted mozzarella on top for a deliciously cheesy finish.
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)
Cheese Mixture
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 cup)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat Sauce: Pour the jars of pasta sauce into the slow cooker. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and diced onions together until fully cooked. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Drain excess fat, then stir in salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and dried basil. Pour the cooked meat mixture into the slow cooker with the sauce and stir to combine.
- Slow Cook the Sauce: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Avoid opening the lid during this time to maintain the cooking temperature and ensure flavors meld properly.
- Cook the Spaghetti: After the sauce has cooked, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the spaghetti noodles and cook for about 8 minutes according to the package instructions, as they will continue to cook in the slow cooker later.
- Combine Noodles and Sauce: Drain the cooked noodles thoroughly and add them directly to the slow cooker with the meat sauce. Stir gently to coat the noodles, then flatten the noodles evenly on top of the sauce for layering.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and salt. The cream cheese may remain in small chunks, which is fine for texture.
- Add Cheese and Mozzarella: Dollop the cream cheese and ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles in the slow cooker. Use a spatula to spread it out smoothly. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Final Cooking: Cover the slow cooker again and cook on LOW for an additional 20 minutes. This final step melts the cheeses and blends all the flavors together.
- Serve: Once the cheese is melted and bubbly, carefully serve the baked spaghetti hot and enjoy your delicious, comforting meal.
Notes
- Do not add uncooked spaghetti noodles directly into the slow cooker; they must be partially cooked beforehand to ensure proper texture.
- Resist opening the slow cooker lid during the long cooking time to avoid heat loss.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for ground beef for a lighter option.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely.
- For added flavor, sprinkle fresh basil or parsley on top before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: slow cooker baked spaghetti, baked spaghetti recipe, slow cooker pasta, easy spaghetti dinner, cheesy baked spaghetti
