Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

This easy slow cooker spaghetti sauce is a vegetable-packed meat sauce made from scratch. Perfect for busy weeknights and freezer-friendly batch cooking. Set it and forget it!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian, Slow Cooker

Keyword easy crockpot spaghetti sauce, homemade spaghetti sauce slow cooker, slow cooker spaghetti, slow cooker spaghetti sauce, slow cooker spaghetti sauce with meat

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 15

Servings servings

Calories 177kcal

Author Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca)

Equipment

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs extra lean ground beef
Two 796 ml cans of crushed tomatoes I use low sodium
1 large onion finely chopped
2 stalks celery finely chopped
2 medium carrots finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic minced
3/4 tsp dried parsley
3/4 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp oregano
a pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup red wine
a generous pinch each of sea salt and black pepper
fresh parsley for garnish optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Drain any excess fat and set aside.
Add the browned beef, crushed tomatoes, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, nutmeg, red wine, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat and stir until everything is mixed thoroughly.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 hours, stirring once or twice during cooking if you can. For a thicker sauce, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot over your favourite cooked pasta and top with fresh grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley.

Video

Notes

Storage. Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months.

No wine? Swap the 1/2 cup red wine for 1/2 cup beef broth + 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.

Want it thicker? Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking to let some moisture cook off.

Make-ahead. Tastes even better the next day. Make on Sunday for easy weeknight dinners all week.

If you're out all day. Set on low for 6 to 7 hours and let it hold on warm until you're home. Most slow cookers do this automatically.

Nutrition