Description
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.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage (bulk or remove from casings)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 14.5-ounce cans tomatoes, diced, undrained
- 1 6-ounce can 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.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Sauces, Pasta
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian