Slow Cooker Spaghetti Dinner Recipe: Tender Meat & Rich Sauce

This Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Dinner requires no pre-cooking of the meat and delivers a rich, homemade-tasting sauce. Instead of ground beef, sliced smoked sausage or kielbasa is used for a smoky, satisfying flavor. The slow cooker lets marinara, diced tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic and seasonings simmer together all day, producing plenty of sauce to coat the pasta and soak up with bread.

close up of spaghetti and noodles in a slow cooker

This is an ideal back-to-school meal: low effort, family-friendly and quick to assemble in the morning. I use two 24-ounce jars of marinara, a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes (undrained), one green bell pepper and about a half cup of diced onion, along with garlic, dried oregano and basil and a pinch of pepper. Add sliced smoked sausage on top, cover and cook on low for eight hours. The long, slow simmer lets the flavors meld while you go about your day.

kielbasa, jars of marinara, seasonings, spaghetti, diced tomatoes, onion and bell pepper.

Here are the ingredients in the slow cooker before cooking:

kielbasa, bell pepper, onion, and marinara sauce in a slow cooker.

After eight hours on low, the sauce develops a deep, well-rounded taste. Toward the end of the cooking time, cook one pound of dried spaghetti on the stovetop according to the package directions. Drain the noodles, then add them to the slow cooker and toss gently so the pasta is fully coated in sauce. Turn the slow cooker off immediately after adding the noodles to avoid overcooking and mushy pasta.

close up of spaghetti in a slow cooker with a wooden spoon in it.

Serve with grated Parmesan, a simple green salad and warm French bread for a complete, crowd-pleasing dinner. The extra sauce keeps the pasta moist and makes great dipping for bread—an important part of the experience if you ask me.

If you like hands-off pasta nights, this recipe is worth adding to your rotation. It’s straightforward, flavorful and satisfying for busy weeknights. Prep time is short, and the slow cooker does the rest.

Here are more pasta night recipes

Try other slow cooker sauces and pasta dishes for variety—marinara or spaghetti sauce cooked in the slow cooker, cajun chicken fettuccine for bolder flavor, or pesto chicken and chicken enchilada pasta for creamy, flavorful twists. Creamy Chicken Spaghetti is another reader favorite if you want a rich, comforting option.

Spaghetti and kielbasa and sauce in a slow cooker

Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Dinner

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 8

By: Sarah Olson

A twist on the classic spaghetti dinner using smoked sausage in place of ground beef for a simple, flavorful meal.

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How to Video

Equipment

Slow Cooker – 6 quart or larger recommended

Ingredients

Sauce ingredients

14 oz. smoked sausage, (or kielbasa), sliced
48 oz. marinara, (Two 24-oz. jars)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup onion, (one small onion), diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. dried leaf oregano
2 tsp. dried leaf basil

For serving:

1 lb. dried spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
parmesan cheese

Instructions

Add everything to the slow cooker (except spaghetti and cheese) and stir to combine.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Toward the end of the cooking time, prepare the noodles according to package directions.
Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and add them to the sauce, stirring well to coat.
Turn off the slow cooker immediately after adding the noodles so they don’t continue to soften and become mushy.
Serve topped with grated Parmesan and enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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