Crock pot spaghetti and chicken meatballs is the perfect dish to start our healthier eating, isn’t it? It’s still a comfort food but when you use whole wheat noodles and low-fat chicken meatballs, all of a sudden this usually fat laden dish becomes a healthier one!
Let’s face it, while we all may not actively “diet” or run to the gym this time of year, we all feel the excess of Christmas and New Year’s. I find that January is always a time to bulk up on the fruit and veggies, tuck the desserts to the side for a while and generally make sure I am eating as healthy as I possibly can, so while not actively “dieting” it’s certainly a time of year when we need to recharge our healthy eating batteries.
Can Spaghetti Noodles be Cooked in a Crock Pot?
Yes it can! You can cook spaghetti noodles in a crock pot so easily! You just have to make sure that you have enough liquid for the noodles.
How to Make Crock Pot Spaghetti
- Pour one jar of the sauce into the bottom of the crock pot, spreading out evenly.
- Break the spaghetti in half, fitting the whole box into the crock pot on top of the pasta sauce.
- Pour half a cup of water over top of the spaghetti
- Pour the other jar of sauce over the spaghetti.
- Place the meatballs on top of the sauce.
- Cook on high for two hours.
- Remove the lid, add another 2 cups of water and stir all the ingredients.
- Cook for another hour until the noodles are tender and the meatballs are cooked to 165 degrees in the middle.
- Serve and enjoy!
This year is slightly different as we are travelling, I’ve been trying really hard to balance it all – a challenge when you have to eat out all the time- but it’s pretty easy to make sure you have fruit and veggies for lunch, then have a nice decadent dinner. I actually think because I’ve missed most events that happen in Edmonton this year that I’ve done a lot better than most Christmas seasons! I whipped up this crock pot spaghetti on a prayer and a hope. It’s not easy to make pasta in the crock pot t and even less so when you are actually going to fully cook it in there. It worked out really, really well! It is most certainly more like a casserole, thicker, chunkier and it depends on how much you break up the spaghetti while making it. Of course, the whole family loved it!
Can I Keep Spaghetti Warm in a Crock Pot?
Once the noodles are cooked you can keep this all warm in the crock pot, but not for too long or the pasta will get soggy and over cooked.
Can I Use Whole Wheat Spaghetti?
I actually recommend using whole wheat spaghetti in this crock pot spaghetti recipe! Whole wheat spaghetti noodles are healthier and they hold together better than white pasta does.
Tips and Tricks for Making Crock Pot Spaghetti
- The secret to making this a healthier pasta is to use whole wheat spaghetti noodles and low-fat pre-cooked chicken meatballs. . Choose what you like, but make sure they are a pre-cooked meatball!
- If you are looking for long noodles in a very light sauce, this is not the dish for you. It’s a really fabulous change from spaghetti, when the noodles break up it becomes more like a casserole, thicker and chunkier. Mmmm. So very delish!
- White flour pasta may cook a lot faster! Add enough water to thin out the sauce to your liking. The sauce can be strong at this point, so taste test and add water to thin it out.
- One of my readers asked about a crock pot liner and yes using one will help prevent sticking and burning!
Happy cooking everyone!
Love,
Karlynn
Healthy Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
- 48 ounces pasta sauce (2 jars of your choice of pasta sauce)
- 375 grams box of spaghetti- whole wheat highly suggested
- 20-25 precooked frozen chicken meatballs
- 2-3 cups water plus as needed at the end
Instructions
- Pour one jar into the bottom of the crock pot, spreading out evenly.
- Break the spaghetti in half, fitting the whole box into the crock pot on top of the pasta sauce.
- Pour half a cup of water over top of the spaghetti.
- Pour the other jar of sauce over the spaghetti.
- Place the meatballs on top of the sauce.
- Cook on high for two hours. (If you have a super hot crock pot, check the ingredients at 1 1/2 hours to make sure the sauce isn’t burning on the sides).
- Remove the lid, add another 2 cups of water and stir all the ingredients.
- Cook for another hour until the noodles are tender and the meatballs are cooked to 165 degrees in the middle.*White flour pasta may cook a lot faster! Add enough water to thin out the sauce to your liking. The sauce can be strong at this point, so taste test and add water to thin it out.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Kathleen G says
This is probably a stupid question, but can I use a crockpot liner to keep it from burning and sticking? I can’t think of how it would stop the cooking but thought I’d ask.
Karlynn Johnston says
That would work for sure!
Barb says
Worked like a charm! I cooked it on low for longer and it worked great.