Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
Elevate your spaghetti game with this meaty slow cooker sauce. Bursting with savory flavors from lean beef and Italian sausage, it’s a pasta lover’s dream.
This hearty slow cooker spaghetti sauce is a must-have for busy days. Loaded with ground beef, Italian sausage, and rich tomato flavor, it’s a simple set-it-and-forget-it favorite.
Everything simmers low and slow for hours, letting the seasonings meld into a deeply flavorful, meaty sauce. Spoon it over your favorite pasta, use it in baked ziti or lasagna, or freeze it for a future meal — it’s a versatile and satisfying classic.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Deep, rich flavor. Slow cooking brings out the best in the tomatoes, meat, and seasonings.
Hands-off cooking. Just a quick sauté, then let the slow cooker do the rest.
Freezer-friendly. Make a big batch and freeze extras for busy weeknights.
Customizable. Add veggies, herbs, or even cream for your perfect sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef & Italian sausage – The mix gives a great balance of richness and spice.
- Onion & garlic – Essential aromatics that form the flavor base.
- Crushed & diced tomatoes – Using both adds body and texture.
- Tomato paste – Helps thicken and deepen the tomato flavor.
- Italian seasoning – A convenient blend of herbs; feel free to customize.
- Bay leaves – Add subtle earthy depth; remove before serving.
- Sugar – Just a bit balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Red pepper flakes – Optional, for a gentle kick of heat.
Steps to Make Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
- Brown the beef and sausage with Italian seasoning, then transfer to the slow cooker.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in the same pan and add to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours (or high for 3 to 4 hours), checking halfway to adjust thickness.
- Discard the bay leaves and serve the sauce over hot cooked spaghetti or your favorite pasta.
Tips
Brown the meat well: It adds extra flavor before slow cooking.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula: To break up sausage and beef finely for even texture.
Check consistency: Add broth, wine, or water during cooking if the sauce becomes too thick.
Recipe Variations
- Meat: Make the sauce with ground turkey instead of beef, or use all beef or all sausage instead of the combination.
- Vegetables: Sauté diced carrots and celery along with the onions to make a Bolognese-style pasta sauce and serve it with fettuccine or tagliatelle.
- Cream: For a richer Bolognese-style sauce, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese just before the sauce is ready.
- Herbs: Replace the Italian seasoning with 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon or dried thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon of crumbled dried rosemary.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over spaghetti, penne, or your favorite pasta.
- Top with grated Parmesan, fresh basil, or chopped parsley.
- Use in baked ziti, lasagna, or stuffed shells.
- Add garlic bread and a green salad for a complete meal.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Store cooled sauce in an airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: Transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags, label, and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
To Reheat: Warm gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or broth if needed.
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage, bulk or remove from casings
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 28 ounces tomatoes, canned, diced, undrained
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 small bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, sausage, and Italian seasoning and cook, breaking up and stirring for 7 to 9 minutes until browned and no longer pink; transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add the onions to the same skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened and aromatic. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer; transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add the crushed and diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Cover and cook the sauce on low for 5 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Check about halfway through and add a splash of broth, red wine, or water if too thick.
- Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
