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Home » Recipe Index » Meaty Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Meaty Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

May 12, 2020 by Kara Cook 3 Comments

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Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce – two kinds of meat, loads of vegetables, and a hearty dose of herbs and seasonings make this easy marinara sauce a winner!

When you have a large family, pasta is always an economical and tasty dinner option. We also love Skillet Lasagna and Lemon Chicken Pasta with Bacon. Yum!

crock pot spaghetti sauce title photo

 

A PERFECT FAMILY DINNER RECIPE!

Spaghetti is one food that we rarely have at my house. I’m not sure why, because it is super easy and everyone likes it. I just never think of it. My boys had been asking for it, so I put it on the menu for the week.

Then I proceeded to scour my cookbooks looking for a new recipe to try. Because I can’t use the stuff in the can when there are so many recipes out there just waiting to be discovered. I know, I need intervention. 🙂

I adapted a crock pot recipe I found in a magazine and it turned out even better than I expected. My family LOVED this easy crockpot pasta sauce.

I was a little worried that they would think the carrots were funky, but they didn’t even notice them. I couldn’t even taste them and I knew they were there. I love it when you can sneak vegetables in under the radar!

This makes a fairly large batch, so we froze half of it. My hubbie was putting it in the freezer and I asked him to make sure and put a label on it. When I opened the freezer this morning, I smiled when I saw what he wrote. The label read: “Spaghetti Sauce (Awesome!)”. So I know it is a keeper!

pasta with meaty sauce and fresh basil

 

(To skip my tips and just see the full recipe card, scroll to the bottom of the post.)

How do you make spaghetti sauce from scratch in a crock pot?

Ingredients needed:

  • lean ground beef (I haven’t tried it with ground chicken, but if that’s your thing, go for it!)
  • Italian sausage (Adds incredible flavor! In a pinch ground pork sausage can be used, but it isn’t quite as tasty.)
  • canned crushed tomatoes (If you can’t find them, you can used canned diced tomatoes. Petite diced work well, but if you use the regular ones, pulse them a couple times in the blender first.)
  • small green pepper (The green peppers at the store are usually large, so I just use half of one.)
  • onion (I use regular yellow onions.)
  • carrots (I know it sounds strange in pasta sauce, but they add a nice sweet flavor, and since they are finely grated, they disintegrate in the sauce.)
  • tomato sauce (If you use low sodium, you may need to add extra salt.)
  • sugar (offsets the acid of the tomatoes)
  • Italian seasoning
  • ground sage
  • dried parsley flakes
  • garlic (I used fresh garlic, but dried minced garlic works too.)
  • Salt and pepper

BROWN MEATS: I like to use a non stick skillet to brown the ground beef and sausage. I use a ladle to scoop out most of the fat, and after that I use a paper towel to soak up any remaining fat.

CHOP VEGETABLES: While the meat is cooking, chop the onion and green pepper, and peel & grate the carrots.

ADD TO CROCK POT: Transfer the meat to your slow cooker, and add the remaining ingredients. 

COOK: I like to let it cook on low heat all day long, but you can cook your slow cooker spaghetti sauce on HIGH  for about 3-4 hours if you prefer.

SERVE: Just before serving, cook up your pasta in some salted boiling water. Serve the hot sauce over your pasta. I typically use spaghetti noodles, but I have also served it over rotini noodles.

meaty marinara sauce over hot pasta topped with fresh basil

 

LEFTOVERS? YOU CAN FREEZE THE PASTA SAUCE.

Thankfully, this spaghetti sauce freezes really well. I like to cool it completely in the fridge, then scoop it into heavy duty freezer ziplock bags. It will last for 3-4 months in the freezer.

However, if you just have a small amount left over, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

I DON’T HAVE A SLOW COOKER. CAN I COOK IT ON THE STOVE INSTEAD? -Yes, you can! Just add a cup of water and simmer in a large pot for 1-2 hours. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH MEATY SPAGHETTI:

  • At our house, spaghetti is almost always served with a tossed green salad, and sometimes corn.
  • Soft Garlic Knots go perfectly with any Italian meal. 
  • Garlic Cheddar Breadsticks are great for soaking up that extra sauce on your plate.
  • My family LOVES these Cheesy Focaccia Bread Sticks.

crock pot spaghetti sauce recipe collage

 

MORE TASTY CROCK POT DINNER RECIPES:

  • Crockpot Roast Beef (makes its own gravy)
  • Best Crock Pot Pulled Pork
  • Crock Pot Taco Beef Over Noodles
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
  • Glazed Crockpot Chicken

MEATY CROCK POT SPAGHETTI SAUCE RECIPE

Yield: 16 servings

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

pasta with meaty sauce and fresh basil

Rich and meaty spaghetti sauce that cooks in a slow cooker.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 small green pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 cup finely grated carrots
  • 5 8 oz cans tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp ground sage
  • 1 tsp dry parsley flakes
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. Brown hamburger and sausage in a large skillet.
  2. Drain off the fat and transfer to a 5 or 6 quart crock pot.
  3. Add remaining ingredients and cook on LOW for about 8 hours, or on HIGH for about 4 hours.
  4. Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.

Notes

-This can also be made on the stove. Just add a cup of water and simmer in a large pot for 1-2 hours. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a small amount from your purchase, no cost to you.

  • Ikea Grater with Container, Blue
    Ikea Grater with Container, Blue
  • GreenPan 5QT Ceramic Non-Stick Covered Saute Pan
    GreenPan 5QT Ceramic Non-Stick Covered Saute Pan
  • Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Slow Cooker 
    Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Slow Cooker 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 193Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 442mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 15g

Nutrition information does not include pasta.

Cuisine: Italian / Category: Crock Pot

(originally published 5/19/2009, updated May 2020)

See all my BEEF RECIPES.

Filed Under: Crock Pot, Main Dish- Beef, Recipe Index Tagged With: garlic, ground beef, onions, sausage, tomato sauce

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa

    February 3, 2013 at 10:37 am

    Very tasty recipe…easy to play around ( increase/decrease/add to ) with the spices. Thank you for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  2. denise

    July 1, 2012 at 8:15 am

    Just put this in the crock pot. I put half the amount of sage in it and I’m still concerned about the strong smell/taste of it. Does it even out?

    Reply
    • Kara

      July 2, 2012 at 7:45 am

      Yep, don’t worry, it isn’t overpowering at all. With all of the other spices in there, everything just blends together perfectly. 🙂

      Reply

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Hi. I’m Kara, and I love to create! I share recipes, DIY tutorials, craft projects, and thrifty home decor. I hope that I can inspire you to create something! Read More…

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