🍝 Broken Spaghetti Crockpot Meal
A cozy, cheesy slow-cooker dinner made with broken spaghetti, seasoned ground beef, and a rich tomato sauce. Easy comfort food for busy days!
Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
12 oz (340 g) spaghetti, broken into 2–3-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
24 oz (680 g) pasta sauce
14.5 oz (411 g) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups beef broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
Brown the beef: In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion until the beef is no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds.
Add to crockpot: Transfer the beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add the pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir well.
Add the broken spaghetti: Stir the uncooked spaghetti pieces into the sauce, making sure they’re as submerged as possible.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2½–3½ hours, stirring once or twice during cooking. Check toward the end so the pasta doesn’t become mushy.
When the spaghetti is tender, sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
Cover again and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then garnish with parsley.
🍽️ Tips
If the mixture becomes too thick before the spaghetti is tender, add ¼–½ cup additional broth.
For extra flavor, add ½ lb Italian sausage along with the ground beef.
Add sliced mushrooms, bell peppers, or spinach for extra vegetables.
Serve with garlic bread and a simple green salad.
Serves: 6
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 2½–3½ hours on LOW
