Crockpot Spaghetti with Italian Sausage and Cream Cheese Recipe
This hearty Crockpot Spaghetti recipe offers a convenient and delicious way to enjoy a classic Italian favorite with minimal effort. Italian sausage, multiple layers of pasta sauce, and creamy cream cheese come together perfectly in the slow cooker, creating a rich and comforting one-pot meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Meat and Seasoning
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
Sauces and Dairy
- 3 jars of pasta sauce (24 ounces each)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated or powdered)
- 4 ounces fat free cream cheese
Pasta and Liquids
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 14.5 ounces can chicken broth (low sodium)
Instructions
- Brown Sausage: In a medium skillet, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it apart as it cooks. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Once fully cooked, drain the grease and set the sausage aside.
- Layer Ingredients in Crockpot: Pour one jar of pasta sauce into the bottom of the crockpot. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and arrange them evenly over the sauce. Top the noodles with the cooked sausage and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the sausage.
- Add Cream Cheese and Sauce: Cut the cream cheese into small chunks and scatter them on top of the Parmesan cheese in the crockpot. Pour a second jar of pasta sauce evenly over the cream cheese chunks.
- Cook on High: Cover the crockpot and cook on high heat for 3 hours. Stir the mixture occasionally during cooking to help the pasta cook evenly and prevent sticking.
- Finish Cooking: After 3 hours, stir the spaghetti mixture well. Pour the last jar of pasta sauce and the low sodium chicken broth into the crockpot. Replace the lid and continue cooking on low heat for 1 more hour to meld flavors and fully cook the pasta.
Notes
- Breaking the spaghetti in half helps it fit better in the crockpot and cook evenly.
- Stirring occasionally during the high heat cooking stage is important to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom and ensure consistent texture.
- Using low sodium chicken broth helps control the saltiness of the dish since the sauces and sausage are already seasoned.
- Fat free cream cheese is used to add creaminess without extra fat, but regular cream cheese can be substituted for richer flavor.
- Feel free to garnish with fresh basil or extra Parmesan cheese before serving if desired.
