Homemade Spaghettios and Meatballs made in the slow cooker! It’s a childhood favorite that you’ll love any any age.
Everyone needs a few kid friendly recipes that adults will love, too. My Panera Macaroni and Cheese Recipe gets rave reviews from everyone who tries it! And of course a batch of easy Broccoli Cheese Soup is always a hit too.
Why This Recipe Works
Put down the can. Make these homemade copycat spaghetti-o’s in the slow cooker instead!
- This is an easy twist on classic spaghetti and meatballs.
- Made with ditalini noodles, just like the original spaghettios.
- No added sugar or preservatives!
- You can use store bought meatballs, turkey meatballs, zucchini meatballs, or your favorite meatball recipe.
- Only 5 minutes of prep time.
- Let it cook all day long and sit down to a delicious meal at dinner time!
I recently tasted a bite of canned spaghetti-os for the first time in ages. I’d totally forgotten how downright SWEET they taste.
This homemade version is so much better. All the nostalgic qualities of the one I loved as a kid with just the natural sweet and tangy tomato flavor shining through.
A few dried herbs and seasonings are all you need to make the dish complete!
For more comfort food, be sure to try our chili mac recipe next!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need to make perfect imitation spaghetti-os from scratch (well, almost from scratch).
- Meatballs – I made my favorite turkey meatballs for this recipe. Frozen cooked meatballs work well too, so don’t sweat it if you’re in a hurry.
- Tomato sauce – The plain, canned variety with no added flavorings or sugar.
- Herbs – Dried basil, oregano and garlic salt add the perfect flavor to the tomato sauce.
- Ditalini noodles – Small round noodles that resemble the “O” shape of “Spaghetti-Os”. If you can’t find them, just use any bite sized pasta variety.
Tips and Tricks
- Using frozen meatballs? No need to heat them first! Just add them to the slow cooker with the sauce and herbs.
- Add the uncooked noodles to the slow cooker in the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
- Serve homemade spaghettios and meatballs with homemade olive garden breadsticks and an Olive Garden Salad.
Recipe FAQs
For a vegetarian option, omit the meatballs. Or use your favorite plant-based meatballs instead!
Cheese is always a tasty topping for pasta! Grate fresh parmesan or mozzarella over each bowl of spaghetti-os before serving.
Transfer the leftover pasta and sauce to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
Tomato sauce contains only tomatoes which have been cooked down to a liquid consistency (sometimes with added water). Spaghetti sauce is tomato sauce enhanced with added flavorings like herbs, garlic and spices.
I use plain tomato sauce in this crockpot recipe, then add my own seasonings!
Serving Suggestions
Looking for the perfect side dish for your meatball subs?
This simple Italian Salad with homemade Italian Dressing is our favorite weeknight side dish. It’s the perfect green salad.
Treat your dinner guests or potluck friends and family to an Easy Taffy Apple Salad recipe. Made with apples, pineapple, whipped cream, peanuts & more.
Looking for a fresh bowl of homemade applesauce for dinner tonight? This Instant Pot Applesauce recipe is super quick and easy!
More Easy Dinner Ideas
- Chicken Tetrazinni: this is a family favorite!!
- Chicken Kisses: my daughter’s most requested dinner!
- Italian Chicken Casserole: creamy noodles with chicken, spinach and sun dried tomatoes!
- Margherita Chicken
- Kalua Pork
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Homemade Spaghettios and Meatballs
Ingredients
- 40 cooked meatballs
- 2 cans tomato sauce 15 ounce each
- 32 ounce beef broth
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounce ditalini noodles dry
Instructions
- In a large slow cooker, add frozen (or fresh) cooked meatballs. Top with sauce, broth, oregano, garlic, basil and salt. Simmer on low, covered, for 5-6 hours.
- Half hour before serving, add the noodles. Stir into the sauce, cover, and let cook.
- Serve dinner with breadsticks and salad! ENJOY
Notes
- Using frozen meatballs? No need to heat them first! Just add them to the slow cooker with the sauce and herbs.
- Add the uncooked noodles to the slow cooker in the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
- Serve homemade spaghettios and meatballs with homemade olive garden breadsticks and a side salad.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Feel like a kid again with this easy slow cooker spaghettios recipe!
Made this tonight. During the process, I thought, “Too many meatballs! Too much sauce! Not enough pasta!” But I was totally wrong. Exactly the right amount of everything. This was SO good and SO easy. Thanks for a terrific recipe!
🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!!
I too am all about making ahead and freezing. Your meatball recipe will be very versatile will other recipes. I have a cookie scoop which should simply the making of the meatballs.
Looks yummy, 40 meatballs. How much meat would you need if you prepared these vs frozen?
Hi Jay, here is my favorite meatball recipe. You can use ground beef or ground turkey, and it conveniently makes 40 meatballs 🙂 https://www.shugarysweets.com/meatball-parmesan-casserole
This was very good. Will absolutely make this again. I will lower the Oregano to 1 tsp. Other then that the flavor was perfect. This made with the meatball recipe posted above made for a very happy family tonight. Thank you for sharing.
Oh Erica, so happy to hear it!! I’m glad your family enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
I need to make this! When I was a kid, spaghettios were my favorite. I haven’t eaten them in so long!
Then you will LOVE this 🙂
Hubby loves spaghettios! He used to make them and put cut up hot dogs in the bowl.
haha, we did that growing up too!!
Mmm… homemade spaghettios! You’re speaking my language with this one, Aimee. 🙂
I adore homemade meatballs! This looks so good, honestly, its making me so hungry even though I just ate lunch. Delish!
I used to eat spaghettios all the time too. I never liked it, but it was a simple and quick dinner for my busy working mom. I love that you made your own and then used your slow cooker. Man I need to use my slow cooker more. I am so making this for the kiddos asap. Love those big meatballs and the fact they are turkey makes me one happy mama. Pinned!!
This is PURE comfort food! Definitely for adults and kids — my girl would love this!
This looks AWESOME. I totally loved Chef Boyardee as a kid and hey, even still as an adult 🙂 But homemade is always better and this looks AMAZING! Love that you used turkey meatballs, too. I’m now craving this!
Oh my gosh what a good idea! I know my daughter would love spaghettios but I have never given them to her because I don’t want her to have that much salt. This is perfect! What a fun recipe!
This brings me back to middle school… I used to eat Spaghettios and meatballs for my school lunches. All my friends got jealous because I was the one with the “cool” lunch. I love that you recreated this!
I hardly eat food out of cans any more because of preservatives but spaghettios where one of my childhood favs! This looks like a great copycat!
Pinned. Have a great Wednesday!
I can’t tell you how many meals of Spaghettios I’ve eaten! This looks really good!
This is an awesome meal idea!!! My kids are going to go crazy for it…and I love how easy it is to make!!! We used to buy those canned spaghettios all the time too, and I never was crazy about the taste!
Meatballs are a comfort food for me too! I always make extra to freeze so I can pull out as needed. Great recipe Aimee, as always!
This is such a great idea because you know that kids all over the country love spaghettios!
I never really liked Spaghettios from a can, but these homemade ones look absolutely incredible!! Especially with the addition of meatballs. Grownup comfort food 🙂
Making this at the end of the week is SUCH a great idea! I never have anything for the hubs to take to work during the weekend…and that is my NO COOK time! Plus, you can never go wrong with a childhood classic. Pinned!