Sneaky Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

Thank you, Meghan Markle, for this hack

Author image: Candace Davison, PureWow vice president of editorial content

By Candace Davison

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Published Feb 6, 2026

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Confession: This recipe is based on a tip from Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, though it’s not at all how she intended it.

Back in 2016, when she was Meghan, founder of The Tig, I interviewed her on all things food, and she shared a surprising tip: She slow cooks zucchini for four to five hours, until it breaks down into a “filthy, sexy mush” to serve atop pasta.

"The sauce gets so creamy you'd swear there's tons of butter and oil in it, but it's just zucchini, water and a little bouillon," she told me, adding that she also tops it with lots of Parmesan cheese.

slow cooker spaghetti and meatballs with no parmesan cheese

candace davison

The mix was a bit bland for my tastes, but I liked the silkiness it added, so I thought, why not incorporate it into a slow cooker marinara? And, since I’m always trying to get my kids to eat more vegetables, I’d grate in carrots and onion too, adding them to fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, a mix of herbs and a ton of garlic. The result was a rustic, hearty sauce that my family devoured—and requested me to make every week.

Frozen meatballs are another shortcut here: I’ve found they become super tender as they cook in the Crockpot. Nobody notices they weren’t made from scratch.

If you want to amp up the flavor further, you can sauté the carrots and onions before adding them to the slow cooker, but honestly, I don’t bother. When it comes to weeknight dinners, my mantra is cook smarter, not harder.

Prep

Cook

Total

Serves

15 minutes

4 to 6 hours

6 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 medium zucchini, grated

2 carrots, grated

½ white onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained

2 tbsp oregano

2 tbsp basil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 bag frozen meatballs

1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti

grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions

Add the zucchini, carrots, onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and meatballs to your slow cooker. Stir, then turn to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours, or 4 to 5 hours on high.

About 15 minutes before serving, turn the slow cooker to warm and prepare the pasta according to the package's instructions. Drain pasta and divide among bowls, topping with marinara sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

Candace Davison

VP of editorial content

Oversees home, food and commerce articles
Author of two cookbooks and has contributed recipes to three others
Named one of 2023's Outstanding Young Alumni at the University of South Florida, where she studied mass communications and business

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