I have a slow cooker (er, crockpot) for the same reasons everyone else does. I on occasion like a great, easy meal that I can toss into the pot and not have to fuss with. A Dutch oven over low heats works just as well, specially if you need to brown something first. For this slow cooker spicy spaghetti and meatball soup it doesn’t matter whether you go low-and-slow in the crockpot or Dutch oven, the end result is great. It’s like having Campbell’s SpaghettiOs™ but with much better, richer flavor, and a nice kick. And really big meatballs. Who didn’t want more meatballs in their SpaghettiOs™ when they were a kid? I sure did. I probably threw fits about it, too! Well, problem solved!
A Great Meal For A Crowd
I used packaged frozen meatballs for this slow cooker spicy spaghetti meatball soup. Our homemade Italian meatballs (made on the stovetop or in the Char-Broil Big Easy) would be great too. Outstanding, even. Either way, this makes a good batch of soup. Plenty for a small crowd.
You can leave out the red pepper flake, but I think you’ll want to add at least a little. And don’t be shy with the basil either.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try out my homemade SpaghettiOs. They’re fun to make and even more fun to eat.
Slow Cooker Spicy Spaghetti and Meatball Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 24 ounce meatballs frozen, not thawed
- 24 ounces spaghetti sauce
- 1 48 ounce beef broth
- 3 cups water
- 1-2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1-2 teaspoons dried red pepper flake
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese plus more for serving, grated
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta broken into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except the pasta into a slow cooker. Add more basil or red pepper flake as desired.
- Cook on high for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Set slow cooker to high and add the pasta. Cook for another 20 minutes.
- Serve with more Parmesan cheese as desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
