EcoForward Recipe: Slow Cooker Vegan Spaghetti and “Meat”balls

I love meals that I can prep in the morning just to have greet me with their delightful aromas when I get home from work. There is nothing so satisfying as coming home to an already-made dinner! What’s more, this one is quick to put together and a family favorite. I hope you and yours enjoy it as much as we do!

Slow Cooker Vegan Spaghetti and “Meat”balls

Use frozen vegan meatballs and a homemade sauce for a comforting and satisfying family dinner.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings can use a single 28-ounce can as well
  • 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 tsp dried basil
  • 16 oz Italian-style frozen vegan meatballs I used the Aldi brand
  • spaghetti can use gluten-free noodles or substitute zoodles if desired

Instructions
 

  • Put tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasonings in slow cooker.
  • My boys do not like large chunks of tomatoes in their sauces, so I use an immersion blender to get their desired consistency of the sauce. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, skip this step.
  • Add frozen meatballs to the sauce. Stir. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
  • In the last 30 minutes of cooking time, prepare your noodles/zoodles as directed on the package (For zoodles, we prefer to simply spiralize the the zucchini or summer squash – for squoodles! – and mix them raw with the sauce. The warm sauce gives the veggie spirals all the cooking they need to be delicious.)
  • Put noodles on a plate or in a bowl. Add salt to the noodles/zoodles. Top with sauce and meatballs, and enjoy!
Keyword dairy-free, gluten-free, meatballs, spaghetti, vegan, vegetarian