This crockpot spaghetti squash & meatballs is a one-pot recipe that combines spaghetti squash, a homemade tomato sauce, and homemade meatballs. The end result is a tasty and nutritious alternative to traditional pasta dishes. With minimal prep work, you can set-it-and-forget-it, allowing the slow cooker to work its magic. Make this low-carb, paleo, and Whole30 compatible recipe with ease in the slow cooker.
Ingredients For Crockpot Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
- Spaghetti Squash
- Homemade Sauce: crushed tomatoes, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
- Homemade Meatballs: ground beef, almond flour, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper
How To Make Crockpot Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
Slow Cooker
- Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder into the bottom of the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half, crosswise. Scoop out the seeds. Add the spaghetti squash the slow cooker, hole side down.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6, or until the spaghetti squash is soft.
- Carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the slow cooker, it will be hot.
FAQs & Tips
What is spaghetti squash?
Spaghetti squash is a cucurbita pepo vegetable. In other words, it’s a squash. The seeds inside spaghetti squash are similar to pumpkin seeds. When cooked, the inside flesh is scraped into spaghetti-like strands. Hence why spaghetti squash exploded on the scene a few years ago as a popular, healthy, alternative to spaghetti.
Do you have to use my meatball recipe?
Of course not. If you have a preferred meatball recipe you want to use, feel to do so. Store-bought or pre-made, frozen meatballs can be used as well. If you use my meatball recipe in the recipe box, you can use your preferred ground meat whether it be beef, turkey, chicken or even pork. I used ground beef. To keep the meatballs low-carb, paleo, and whole30 compliant, I ditched the breadcrumbs in favor of almond flour. Can you make these with a different compliant flour like coconut flour or cassava flour? Sure. Use the flour that fits your lifestyle. Try to make the meatballs the same size and don’t make them too big or too small. I make 8-10 meatballs for this recipe.
Can you use a store-bought tomato sauce?
Yup! If you have a jar of store-bought sauce or your own tomato sauce recipe, feel free to use it.
How will you know when it’s done?
The spaghetti squash is done when it is soft to the touch. If it’s not, it needs to cook a little longer. Unfortunately, if your squash is mushy then it is overcooked. It’s still edible though! Remember to use oven mitts or tongs when you remove the spaghetti squash from the slow cooker. It will be very hot.
How do you store leftovers?
Store leftover spaghetti squash and meatballs in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
What size slow cooker should you use?
I used a large 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe.
Spaghetti Squash Recipes
PrintCrockpot Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
This crockpot spaghetti squash & meatballs is a one-pot recipe that combines spaghetti squash, a homemade tomato sauce, and homemade meatballs. The end result is a tasty and nutritious alternative to traditional pasta dishes. With minimal prep work, you can set-it-and-forget-it, allowing the slow cooker to work its magic. Make this low-carb, paleo, and Whole30 compatible recipe with ease in the slow cooker.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 mins
- Yield: Serves 2-4 people 1x
Ingredients
- 1 medium-size spaghetti squash (approximately 2 - 3 pounds)
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or another dried herb
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound ground meat
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder into the bottom of the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half, crosswise. Scoop out the seeds. Add the spaghetti squash the slow cooker, hole side down.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6, or until the spaghetti squash is soft.
- Carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the slow cooker, it will be hot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 299
- Sugar: 11.7 g
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.5 g
- Fiber: 6.2 g
- Protein: 29.3 g
- Cholesterol: 111 mg
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32 thoughts on “Crockpot Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs”
Made it for dinner today. Mmm good. Thank you!
I’m bad at following directions, so I cooked my sausage and hamburger together in a pan with all of the seasonings and then I poured it into the crockpot. I did not make meatballs. I poured sauce on top of the meat and added the spaghetti squash. It came out perfect It’s a wonderful meal and if you don’t have time to roll meatballs meat sauce in a pan.
I haven’t made this yet but I’m giving it 5 stars based on the other comments. I’m using my instapot, what changes do I need to make?
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So easy to make and so delicious! It was so hot in the midwest a couple weeks ago but I still like having warm food for dinner so I made this recipe. I don’t know what made those meatballs so tasty but they were seriously some of the best meatballs I’ve ever made!
This is a yummy recipe and so easy! I made this last night using 1 lb of ground pork and a 3 lb spaghetti squash (it was the smallest one they had at my supermarket). I was able to make 16 meatballs that were a little larger than golf balls . Though not all of them could be placed in the sauce due to the larger squash, I just opened the lid part way through and stirred them around a bit. I did add extra basil and garlic because I love both of them. My kids even enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for a wonderful, healthy and incredibly easy recipe!! I will definitely be making this again!
Could I cook the meatballs from frozen?
Yes absolutely. No change to the cook time.
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Just threw this in the crockpot- yours is either bigger than mine or your squash was skinnier, as the squash doesn’t fit quite flat in sauce, and all the meatballs definitely couldn’t go in the sauce like in your picture. Just praying it still comes out delicious and cooked through! 😉
I used a 6-quart and 2 lb. spaghetti squash. You should still be okay even if all the meatballs aren’t in the sauce. You might want to give it a stir halfway through cooking. Let me know how it turns out!
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Did you stir the meatballs a couple of times during the cooking process or just leave them alone?
I leave them alone. Stirring won’t do any harm but it’s not necessary. Enjoy!
Does coconut flour work as a substitute for almond flour?
Yes absolutely!
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I have thought of cooking meatballs in my slow cooker what an awesome idea. Thanks for the recipe
Love the idea of this with turkey meatballs, it sounds delicious.
I would never thought of trying this out and I love the idea of using squash as the spaghetti x
I have never tried squash before but these meatballs look amazing. looks kind of mad but cool cooking the squash whole.
I have never tried spaghetti squash before but it looks lovely. How can your hubby say he does not like squash meatballs x
Oh good you cook the squash direclty as is. Need to try this recipe!
Oh wow, this looks great. I didn’t like squash until last year! I really need to invest in a slow cooker! xo
I would have never thought of cooking a whole squash in the slow oooker but this seems to work! Now to find one at the local supermarket
This sounds amazing. I love meatballs and slow cooker meatballs even better
I’ve never heard of using squash in pasta and tomato sauce before, sounds really interesting, I’ll have to give it a go!
I always use my slow cooker and this is one amazing receipt, so gonna try it out ????
I’m already so excited to eat it, haha!
Shelley xoxo
Can’t belief your husband doesn’t like squash?! Pasta and squash in tomato sauce is delicious 🙂