Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

By Sarah DiGregorio

Published Jan. 30, 2020

Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
4½ hours
Rating
4(831)
Comments
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Using a mixture of uncased sausage and ground beef is the trick to achieving tender, flavorful meatballs without a lot of work or extra ingredients. These three-inch meatballs are oversize, so they can stay moist and tender after cooking for an extended period. This way, they also fit in the slow cooker in one layer, which helps them cook evenly. Choose any kind of turkey sausage you like best; sweet or hot Italian are both great choices. (Pork will work too, but will make the sauce a little oily.) Fear not, the spaghetti is cooked separately, so you can serve these meatballs over any long noodle for a traditional take, or spoon them over polenta or tuck them into hero rolls.

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Ingredients

Yield:5 to 6 servings
  • ¼cup tomato paste
  • 3tablespoons dry red wine
  • 1cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (about ½ bunch)
  • 4ounces grated Parmesan (1 to 1¼ cups), plus more for serving
  • ½medium onion, coarsely grated (about ⅓ cup)
  • 2large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2tablespoons whole milk
  • 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • ½ to 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1pound bulk fresh sweet or hot Italian turkey sausage
  • 1pound ground beef (10 to 20 percent fat)
  • 1(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2sprigs fresh basil, plus more for serving
  • 1pound dried spaghetti, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

829 calories; 32 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 79 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 53 grams protein; 1209 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, whisk together the tomato paste and red wine. In a bowl, stir together the panko, parsley, Parmesan, grated onion, eggs, milk, garlic, vinegar and red-pepper flakes. Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Add the sausage and ground beef to the panko mixture, and gently mix using your hands just until all the ingredients are uniformly combined. (Don’t overmix, or you’ll end up with tough meatballs.) Form the mixture into 7 (3-inch) gently packed meatballs, and place them in the slow cooker. (They should fit snugly in one layer.) Pour the crushed tomatoes all over the top of the meatballs, then add the basil sprigs to the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low for 4 hours.

  3. Step 3

    When ready to serve, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions in boiling, salted water and drain. Increase the slow cooker heat to high. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs to a bowl. Discard the basil sprigs from the sauce. If there is more oil on the surface of the sauce than you’d like, use a ladle to skim it off and discard it. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat the pasta evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the meatballs back to the slow cooker and stir gently to combine. Serve the spaghetti and meatballs with more grated Parmesan and torn basil leaves for topping.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
831 user ratings
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Comments

rob

I wouldn’t add the basil until just before serving the meal—the flavor won’t survive heat for very long.

Emily W

Made this with Impossible meat & vegan italian sausage and it was DELISH

CYW

Made with hot Italian sausage and regular bread crumbs. Forgot to add Panko, fresh basil, and parsley to my grocery list -- oh well. Added an extra cup of crushed tomatoes to increase the sauce ratio, sprinkled dried basil over everything and let it cook. I made 15 generous meatballs. I'm always dubious of slow cooker recipes but this one is a winner. Should not have added the red pepper flakes, given that I used spicy sausage. Not a deal breaker though...

LRB

I thought the flavor here was fabulous. Though I felt if anything, the meatballs might’ve been too tender. Next time I will bake them in the oven until they have a bit of a crust on the outside and then I will add the makings of the sauce to the pan. I chose to make mine in the oven as opposed to a slow cooker. I also made the meatballs smaller, getting 15 out of the mix.

Georgie

I made ten meatballs but cooked only five and froze five for later. Next time I’ll add a can of either fire roasted tomatoes or tomatoes with peppers for flavor. I also will try browning the meatballs before cooking. Even without these additions the dish was very tasty.

Patti Travaglio

I make the meatballs from Cook’s Illustrated slow cooker cookbook, and I cook the meatballs for about 5 minutes in the microwave before adding them to the slow cooker. It helps firm them up a little bit. I am excited to try this recipe though!

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