Slow-cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spin-off week day meal following recipe

This is a great make ahead meal. I make it often as it is requested often. It is a very kid friendly kind of dish. This sauce is complex and balanced. The sauce is a basic marinara sauce that is adaptable to many other dishes. Sometimes we have it with pasta with no meatballs for a satisfying vegetarian supper. I also make biscuit pizza rolls as a quick lunch (recipe and video coming soon).

1 large onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2-26 oz cans plum tomatoes, purried
2-19 oz cans tomato sauce
1-6oz can tomato paste
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
20-30 small pre-cooked meatballs


Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes until onions are translucent.Add tomato paste to onions and cook until paste deepens in colour.  Add wine to onions and garlic. If you want, you can omit the wine but it does add to the depth of flavour. Combine everything into a large slow cooker. You can do this the night before you are planning to serve this(refrigerate overnight). In the morning, before you go to work, turn the slow cooker on low. It will be perfect when you get home from work. Just cook some pasta and presto, an awesome, nutritious, not pre packaged supper.

 My family likes to top their bowls with freshly ground pepper and freshly grated parmesan cheese.


Alternately you can cook this on high for 4-5 hours. It makes a ton and freezes well.  I recommend freezing the sauce and meatballs separately as the meatballs tend to break when frozen with the sauce.

Pin the recipe  on pinterest
Watch the video on you tube. See my knife sharpening demonstration and the secret to make your pasta taste awesome.

Spin-off weekday supper

Just save about 2 cups of sauce to have with pasta later in the week. Have it with or without meatballs. Or if you prefer add browned ground beef or chicken.
Freeze the sauce in 2 cup containers for suppers in a pinch. No need to order out. Stay tuned for pizza biscuit roll in the lunch section.