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Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce is as easy as throwing everything into your slow cooker. Economical and great for busy weeknights.
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Here’s a slow cooker/crockpot spaghetti sauce recipe that’ll become your family’s new favorite! Let me name off all the reasons why…
First, it tastes better than the spaghetti sauce that comes from the jar at the store. By far, hands down, no contest – this sauce is WONDERFUL and you’ll never think about Prego again. I definitely understand why people go to the jars, of course – but if you have the time and energy to make this sauce – do so … you’ll be happy you did!
And, by the way, this spaghetti sauce is effortless to make. That’s the second reason it’ll be your new favorite. Just pop a few things into a skillet, then into a slow cooker, and you’re done. Not to mention it’s cheap to make for multiple meals – freeze it for later.
Of course, this being a crockpot/slow cooker recipe, it’s definitely not a quick recipe … but it’s one you’ll adore nonetheless. I know I do!
By the way – this spaghetti sauce recipe will make your house smell amazing. A bonus, in my opinion!
Diet notes:
Use gluten-free pasta and you’ve got yourself a fine gluten-free recipe! This is also dairy-free and egg-free.
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce recipe
- ground beef or ground turkey
- medium onion
- garlic
- tomato sauce
- diced tomatoes
- tomato paste
- granulated sugar
- dried basil
- dried oregano
- Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper
- your choice of pasta, for serving
How to make Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
- Cook ground beef in skillet until almost done.
- Add onions to the skillet and cook completely until beef is done and the onions are soft.
- Add mixture to slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker, add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Cook pasta according to instructions on the box.
- Serve immediately.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
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Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce – FAQs
Despite this recipe’s simplicity, I’ve seen a lot of questions asked about it, so here are some answers!
Can you freeze this recipe?
Oh yes! In fact, I recommend it. Put it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. When you need to take it out, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
What other meats can I use?
Remember always to use caution when trying substitutes – generally, I haven’t tried anything else but what’s listed in the recipe! But I do like to pass on suggestions that I’ve heard worked. That being said … I’ve seen people try Italian sausage and even venison successfully.
Is there anything else I can add to the sauce?
Like I said above … I personally don’t suggest anything else because I haven’t tried it. But to share ideas in case you want to try them … other folks have added carrots, celery, bay leaves, mushrooms, bell peppers … if you want to customize this recipe, there are a million ways to do it. (I still think it’s perfect the way it is, though. Maybe I’m biased!)
Do I have to cook the spaghetti separately?
You could throw it into the crockpot during the last hour of cooking. I prefer to cook it separately, though!
My sauce came out a little runny! Can I thicken it up, and how?
Using crushed tomatoes (crush them with a spoon or something similar) instead of tomato paste next time should help.
Couldn’t you throw the meat into the crockpot raw instead of cooking it separately?
So this is controversial! I say … no, because pre-cooking the meat in the skillet gives it a different, and in my opinion, better, flavor. But COULD you do it? I’ve seen others do it successfully, yes, and they seemed to like it enough! If you want to try it, tell me how it went!
How did you like this recipe
This recipe is definitely one I want to hear about! Please tell me about your experience with it … and what you served up with it! I think an Italian-style side salad would go great with some pasta right about now. And don’t forget the garlic bread!! Delicious!
Other recipes you may enjoy
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 can tomato sauce, 15 oz
- 1 can diced tomatoes or Italian tomatoes, 28 oz
- 1 can tomato paste, 6 oz
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
For serving:
- Your choice of pasta, cooked
Instructions
- Cook ground beef in skillet until almost done. Add onions and cook completely until beef is done and onions are soft.
- Add the beef mixture to the slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Mix well.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Serve immediately with cooked pasta of your choice.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled and frozen for an extra meal or two.
- Freeze in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
