Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe Crock Pot
If you're looking for a delicious and easy meal to make in your crock pot, look no further than spaghetti and meatballs! This classic Italian dish is perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends, and can be customized to your liking with different sauces and seasonings. In this article, we'll guide you through the steps of making the perfect spaghetti and meatballs in your crock pot, and provide some tips and tricks along the way.
Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather all the ingredients we'll need for this recipe:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Most of these ingredients are pantry staples that you may already have at home. If you don't have all of them, feel free to substitute or omit as needed. For example, you could use ground turkey instead of beef, or skip the Parmesan cheese if you're dairy-free.
Instructions
Now that we have our ingredients ready, let's get cooking! Here's how to make spaghetti and meatballs in your crock pot:
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well using your hands or a spoon.
- Shape the mixture into meatballs, about 1-2 inches in diameter. You should get around 20 meatballs.
- Place the meatballs in the bottom of your crock pot.
- Pour the spaghetti sauce over the meatballs, making sure they're covered completely.
- Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
- When the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is hot, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.
- Drain the spaghetti and serve with the meatballs and sauce.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
That's it! Your spaghetti and meatballs are ready to enjoy. This recipe makes enough for 4-6 servings, depending on how hungry you are. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Tips and Variations
Here are some tips and variations to help you make the most of your spaghetti and meatballs:
- Use a high-quality spaghetti sauce to make this dish even more flavorful. You can also make your own sauce from scratch if you have the time and ingredients.
- Add some vegetables to the sauce for extra nutrition and flavor. Chopped onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms all work well in this recipe.
- Experiment with different seasonings to customize the flavor of your meatballs. You could try adding some Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, or even some grated carrot or zucchini for moisture.
- If you don't have a crock pot, you can still make this recipe on the stove or in the oven. Simply brown the meatballs in a large pot, add the sauce, and simmer for 30-45 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Try using different types of pasta instead of spaghetti. Penne, rigatoni, and fusilli all work well with meatballs and sauce.
- If you're watching your carb intake, you can skip the pasta and serve the meatballs and sauce over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead.
With these tips and variations, you can make spaghetti and meatballs your own and enjoy it in different ways every time you make it. Whether you're feeding a crowd or just cooking for yourself, this recipe is sure to be a hit!
