This super easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs is just 3 ingredients and takes very little prep work.
You can use jarred spaghetti sauce (or homemade marinara) as well as frozen prepared meatballs (or homemade meatballs).
Spaghetti squash is a type of garden squash that, when roasted or cooked, the filling resembles spaghetti noodles. It’s a great low-carb alternative to pasta.
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash
So the other day I was browsing Instagram and came across my friend’s photo of her son (who is 3, I believe) seasoning a couple spaghetti squash that were sitting in a crock pot. I was intrigued, so I asked for the recipe.
If you’re looking for an excellent way to prepare spaghetti squash that’s low-fuss and full of flavor, this recipe is for you.
Ingredients Needed
You only need three ingredients to whip up this incredibly easy dinner using spaghetti squash. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Spaghetti Squash – medium to large size, it should fit in your slow cooker.
- Marinara Sauce – use my homemade version or your favorite jarred sauce.
- Meatballs – you can make homemade meatballs* (see notes below) or frozen meatballs for extra ease.
How To Make It
Start by cutting a thoroughly washed spaghetti squash in half and scooping out the seeds and membranes.
Place the spaghetti squash cut side down into the crock pot, then pour in a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (you’ll need at least 24oz or 3 cup of homemade).
PRO TIP: If you like it extra saucy, you can add more sauce at this point.
Then toss in some frozen meatballs. I used an Italian style beef meatball, but feel free to adjust that to your liking too.
Can I Cook Raw Meatballs in Slow Cooker?
Yes! You can definitely make homemade meatballs and then place them in the slow cooker to finish cooking. I would recommend searing the meatballs first so they hold their shape better after being cooked.
How Long To Cook Spaghetti Squash in Slow Cooker?
Cook the spaghetti squash in the slow cooker on LOW for 5 hours, or HIGH for 3 hours.
Use some tongs to pull out the squash onto a cutting board, then use a fork to pull out the delicious insides. Discard the shell of the squash.
What’s left in the crock pot is the sauce and meatballs, ready for you to dress your spaghetti squash.
The squash is so tender and moist, and seriously resembles the texture of spaghetti noodles when cooked like this, but as an added bonus – it’s vegetables, NOT carb-riddled pasta, so eat up and enjoy!
Make Ahead and Storage
This recipe for spaghetti squash in the slow cooker tastes best when it’s made and prepared initially. The squash can get a little mushy once stored and reheated, but still tastes great.
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash, washed
- 24 oz spaghetti sauce, your preferred flavor (more if desired)
- 3 cups meatballs
Instructions
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half around the middle. Use a spoon to remove the seeds and membranes. Place cut sides down in a large crock pot.
- Pour the spaghetti sauce around the sides of the squash and then place your meat balls around the sides as well.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or high for 3-4 hours. Test for doneness by piercing the squash with a fork, if it goes through the skin easily, it is done.
- Use tongs to carefully remove the squash from the crock pot. Use a fork to pull out all the squash, discard the shell.
- Serve with the sauce and meatballs from the crock pot. Enjoy!
Once again, Shawn is a genius! I am cooking this for the weekend! I always lived in horror of cutting off my hand when trying to cut open a Spaghetti Squash. So I save my Jack-o-Lantern tools and pierce and saw it apart with ease with no loss of blood! Thanks again, Shawn!
Love it.
I use half of the squash as I have a small crockpot.
Sometime I have my grocery guy cut it in half as I have Parkinson.
Should the meatballs be already cooked or raw, fresh meatballs?
I’ve used both, but typically I’ll use frozen meatballs for this because I can just dump everything in.
My whole family loves this. I make it even easier by just cooking the ground beef and adding it to the crockpot, instead of making meat balls.
This spaghetti squash was just right for pretend-noodles (and happily eating garlic bread with!). I added sliced cremini mushrooms to the top and left the lid slightly ajar; they turned out well (though some of them dried a bit, it wasn’t noticeable once covered in sauce). Thank you for a dinner that was mostly ready when we got home!
Can you use meatballs not frozen
You leave the skin on while cooking ?
Yes, that is correct. Make sure you wash it before slicing in half.
Cooked or raw meatballs?
Thx!
I used cooked ones for this recipe. The frozen kind.
Either one will work. I like to use cooked frozen cause they’re the easiest.
Awesome first time trying spaghetti squash, my wife and I loved it!!!
Shawn, this is honestly the easiest main dish that I have ever made….ever!
My husband was sure that he wouldn’t like a “pasta” dish with no pasta, and rather with healthy spaghetti squash. We both loved it. It was a one dish meal, too, since the squash was our vegetable. It was easy, minutes to throw together and the perfect reason to use a crockpot: throw ingredients in the pot, turn it on and come home at dinner time and serve it up. This one is a winner!
It’s crazy how simple this recipe is, but how GOOD it is at the same time! We love it, and I’m so glad you and your husband loved it too! 🙂
Can you prep this the night before (put halved, de-seeded squash and the spaghetti sauce in the crockpot), then refrigerate overnight, throw in the frozen meatballs in the morning to cook while you’re at work? I love using the crockpot since it means my family’s dinner is pretty much done by the time I get home from the office, but I dont have a lot of prep time in the morning. I will probably try it and just hope that the sauce doesn’t absorb TOO much into the squash overnight. Thanks for this recipe!
Hey Haley, it might be best to just toss the sauce and meatballs in in the morning just before you head to work.
Hass anyone tried cooking this on low for 9 hours? I was wondering if I could leave it going while I was at work.
Katherine, did you try it at low for 9hrs? I was hoping to see a comment about this as well!
Thank you so much. I use my crock pot for all things. You are amazing.
I think you should let everyone know that a 6 quarte crockpot is not big enough.
I bought a 6 quarte, because the recipe says a large crockpot.
My two halves of squash didn’t fot lime yours it was just an average size like yours. But wouldn’t sit flat down like yours.
And i didn’t have a lot of room for the meat balls. They laid on top of the squash. It took longer to cook the squash, but it did turn out good.
I absolutely love this recipe! Just make sure your pot is big enough.
All squash sizes are different and mine never sit flat on the bottom of the crock pot either. As long as you can get the lid on the top, you should be just fine! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Curious how to make this in the instant Pot… would you cook the squash separate from the meatball sauce?
I think you’d be able to make the spaghetti squash in the instant pot, but not with the meatballs and sauce. You’d be better off just heating that up on the stove top while the spaghetti squash cooks.
Ok so excited, all three of my kids loved this dish…this happens NEVER!!!! My son that doesn’t typically eat any type of sauce ate this one and my pasta junkies loved the squash too. One of my children said, “so this is a fancy kind of pasta?” I did set her straight on what she ate once she nearly cleaned her plate.
It was so easy to prep. The only thing I had to do differently with the squash was cut it into smaller pieces so they would fit in crock pot.
Then, I just sliced up some French bread and broiled with olive oil, garlic and mozzarella. Put fresh fruit out with this and bam…dinner was served.
Thank you so much for posted this recipe. This is definately a keeper!
Wow! That is so amazing!!
I made this today and we were very pleasantly surprised as it is delicious. Very easy and we will be making this again.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I have a half spaghetti squash that I threw in the freezer. How long do you think I should cook it straight from the freezer?
I’m not sure on this, since I have not experimented with it myself. I’m thinking the same amount of time should suffice, if not a little longer.
How many calories is this dish. I’m making this tonight for dinner???
Easy and delicious. Just one suggestion: Don’t throw the squash shells away, put them in the compost or give them to your backyard chickens!
I like the idea of using the crock pot but I wanted to try this tonight. I have used spaghetti squash only in one recipe before and I don’t know what it’s like served up this way. Could I microwave the squash for tonight and just mix it with the sauce when I am done making the strands and serve it up with meatballs on top? Could you also make a meat sauce and do it as stated before but of course with no meatballs? I am Diabetic and know this will be a good alternative for carbs that won’t raise my Blood sugar in the same way. Thank you for sharing and I can’t wait to try this.
I might have missed it but how many people does this recipe serve?
Do you know how long I would cook it if I had an instant pot?
Can’t wait to make this on Thursday when it is going to be 90 degrees!! Perfect choice 😉
Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I made this tonight and it turned out great! Never using pasta again for spaghetti.
What’s wrong with me that I find it so hard to cut through a raw spaghetti squash?
They can definitely be difficult to get a knife through. Sometimes I’ll microwave it for about 2 minutes to soften it slightly. Try that next time! 🙂