Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce
2 Comments Mar 12, 2023
Updated Nov 30, 2024
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Get ready to make your own delicious homemade slow cooker bolognese sauce using ground beef, canned tomatoes, red wine, and a host of other classic Italian seasonings. Once finished, serve it over your favorite pasta.
Try other unique pasta sauces from scratch like this Slow Cooker Puttanesca Sauce or my Slow Cooker Feta and Tomato Pasta.
Table of Contents
What is bolognese sauce?
Bolognese sauce is an Italian classic typically made with a meat base, also known as a ragu. It’s often more hearty but also creamy at the same time. Authentic bolognese sauce recipes call for whole milk or heavy cream; however, for this one, we’ll use beef broth instead. Another big highlight of this sauce is the red wine. It adds a uniquely delicious flavor.
If you order this at a restaurant, it will most likely be served with spaghetti.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Beef: This is browned and crumbled prior to adding it to the crock pot.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Don’t worry about crushing your own and pick up a can from the grocery store. You’ll need two large cans (at least 28 ounces). For authentic flavored sauce go for San Marzano tomatoes or Cento Brand.
- Beef Broth: Not only will the beef broth add flavor but it also contributes to the creaminess of the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: Made from tomatoes, this adds even more tomato flavor to the sauce.
- Red Wine: Use your favorite red wine such as cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, or merlot.
- Onion: What’s a spaghetti sauce without onion? It’s diced and added for flavor and texture.
- Seasonings: Garlic (minced and sauteed with the onion), brown sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Spaghetti: For serving the meat sauce. We love Desecco brand spaghetti for it has more of a bite and doesn’t get mushy.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Brown the ground beef until cooked completely. One done, add it to the bottom of the slow cooker pot.
Step Two – In the same skillet, add the onion and garlic. Cook them until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
Step Three – Pour in the red wine and bring the mixture to a simmer for about 2-3 minutes (this burns off the alcohol).
Step Four – Pour the red wine and onions into the slow cooker with the ground beef.
Step Five – Add the remaining ingredients (minus the spaghetti) and stir.
Step Six – Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours. Serve the ragu bolognese over cooked pasta.
How to serve
- Serve the bolognese with the spaghetti by mixing some of the sauce into the spaghetti and then pouring more over the top.
- Top with grated parmesan cheese and finely chopped fresh basil if desired.
- As for sides, pair this delicious pasta meal with a small side salad and garlic bread (or garlic sticks).
Recipe FAQs and Variations
No. You can do a mix of ground beef and ground pork or Italian sausage if you’d like.
I strongly suggest sticking with red wine since they are made differently and each has its own distinct flavor.
You can add a dash or two of red pepper flakes before cooking or right before serving.
Sure. All you need are whole peeled tomatoes and a food processor.
Pour any remaining sauce into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s best to keep the sauce separate from any remaining spaghetti.
You can but it’s not necessary.
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Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 white onion, Diced
- 4 cloves garlic, Minced
- ½ cup red wine
- 56 oz crushed tomatoes, (two 28-oz. cans)
- 1 cup beef stock, or beef broth
- 4 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
For serving
- 16 oz dried spaghetti, uncooked
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the ground beef until cooked completely. Add the cooked ground beef to the bottom of the slow cooker pot.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Pour the red wine and onions into the slow cooker with the ground beef.
- To the slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients (not including the spaghetti) and stir. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours. During the last 20 minutes of cook time, cook the spaghetti according to package instructions on the stove top.
- Serve the bolognese with the spaghetti by mixing some of the sauce into the spaghetti and then pouring more over the top.
- Top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired, enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or store in the freezer in a freezer safe container for up to 4 months.
- Let defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove top.
- For red wine to cook with use, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, or merlot.
- White sugar can be used in place of the brown sugar, I like to use the brown sugar because it adds a deeper richer flavor to the sauce instead of just using white sugar as sweetener.
- Nutrition values do not include the spaghetti.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Will this be ok on low for 8 hours?
Yes, I think so.