Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce is slow-cooked and full of beef, vegetables, seasonings, and herbs, making it the meat sauce recipe to serve over any shape of pasta.
We love pasta night at our house. When we aren’t making this classic spaghetti sauce in our crockpot, we have Cincinnati Chili, Pesto Mozzarella Chicken and pasta, Cajun Chicken Fettuccine, Bolognese Sauce, or Ravioli Lasagna.
Why you should cook spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker
When it comes to pasta sauce, your first thought may be to pick up a few jars from the local grocery store. And while that may be the easiest thing to do, you can easily make a delicious sauce right in your own kitchen. Skip the jar sauce and use this great recipe to make a sauce that’s absolutely delicious.
You only need a few pantry staple ingredients, most of which you may already have on hand. This basic recipe is also versatile meaning not only can you serve it in a variety of ways, but you can also switch up some of the ingredients to make the perfect meaty sauce.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Beef: Grab at least 1 lb. of beef for this recipe. You’ll brown it and drain excess fat before adding it to the crock pot.
- Canned Tomatoes: To harness the taste of fresh tomatoes, this recipe calls for a can of crushed tomatoes, a can of diced tomatoes (don’t drain), and a can of tomato paste (helps thicken spaghetti sauce). (You can use fire-roasted tomatoes if desired).
- White Onion: Diced and tossed into the sauce to add both flavor and heartiness to the meaty sauce.
- Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic cloves (minced) to capture the bold flavor of this ingredient.
- Seasonings: Brown sugar, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes come together to make the best spaghetti sauce.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to the crock pot.
Step Two – In a large skillet set to medium high heat, add the ground beef. Brown ground beef and crumble with a spatula or wooden spoon. Drain the fat. Add the meat to the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker and stir.
Step Three – Cover and cook the homemade spaghetti sauce on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Do not open the lid during cooking time. Serve the tomato sauce with desired cooked noodles. Enjoy!
How should I serve Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce?
- Pour the meat sauce over cooked noodles. Standard spaghetti, angel hair, shredded zucchini noodles, or bucatini are some options to consider. I prefer bucatini noodles, they are a larger noodle with a hollow in the center and go great with slow cooker spaghetti sauce.
- Top your crock pot spaghetti sauce with fresh herbs, a dash of Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese.
- This pasta sauce also pairs well with garlic bread, garlic sticks, or any bread of your choice.
Recipe FAQs
A small can of tomato paste is what I use to thicken this spaghetti sauce. Do not forget to add it or you will have a watery sauce.
You can substitute one pound of Italian Sausage for the ground beef in this recipe. Cut the salt in half for the recipe in half if you use Italian sausage. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken.
Use a 2 lb. bag of frozen meatballs if desired in place of the ground beef.
DO NOT add uncooked noodles to the slow cooker. The slow cooker doesn’t get hot enough, fast enough to properly cook noodles. The noodles will turn out mushy.
Add soy crumbles to this recipe instead of ground beef if desired. Or add chopped carrots, celery, bell peppers, and fresh sliced mushrooms. A can of fire roasted diced tomatoes would taste great as well.
Add a half cup of red wine at the beginning of the recipe if you would like a red wine flavored sauce. I like to use red blend when I’m cooking (and for drinking).
Add any remaining sauce into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week. You can also make this a jarred sauce and store it for months. If you’re not familiar with canning sauces, you can use freezer bags to store the sauce for up to 6 months. Allow it to defrost before cooking.
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Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 28 oz. diced tomatoes (two 14 oz. cans) do not drain
- 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
For serving:
- cooked noodles
- parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- In a large skillet set to medium high heat, add the ground beef. Brown and crumble with a spatula or wooden spoon. Drain the fat.
- Add the meat to the slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Do no open the lid during the cooking time.
- Serve with desired cooked noodles and top with parmesan cheese.
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
- You can substitute one pound of Italian Sausage for the ground beef in this recipe.
- Cut the salt in half for the recipe in half if you use Italian sausage.
- Add soy crumbles to this recipe instead of ground beef if desired.
- Or add chopped carrots, celery and mushrooms.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More pasta night recipes:
- Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti
- Slow Cooker Puttanesca Sauce
- Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce with Kielbasa
- Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken and Pasta
- Slow Cooker Southwestern Cheesy Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Spaghetti
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Penne
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tetrazzini
- Slow Cooker Pizza Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Zucchini Bolognese
Roger Berry says
Can I use a 4 quart Cuisinart slow cooker I don’t have a 6 quart one.
Sarah Olson says
I think it will fit!
Sue White says
This recipe is a great one, reminds of feeding our big family! 6 kids, 17 Grand kids and 13 Great grand kids. Thank you will definitely be makingi it!!!
Christina Mckenney says
How big is the serving size
Sarah Olson says
I don’t measure that, I apologize.
Candice says
How is there nutrition information then?
Sarah Olson says
The calculator divides the ingredient nutrition by 10.
Kevin says
my all time favourite spaghetti sauce!! The splash of wine gives it a nice edge
Mark says
Drain the fat? That’s where all the flavor is.
Sarah Olson says
Leave it if you want.
Darrell says
If I precook meat do I add meat right away in crock pot and cook on low . Or should I add pre cooked meat later on
Sarah Olson says
Yes, add it at the beginning.
Michelle says
If I make my own meatballs would I cook
the meatballs first and then add them into the sauce or brown them only and add them to the sauce?
Sarah Olson says
I would only brown them and add them to the sauce, half way through the cooking time.
Sheila says
I have made this recipe and it is delicious. My Husband and Granddad loved it.
Leonard DiStaso says
They are not NOODLES! It’s pasta or macaroni… Noodles are flat and long…or simply use the name of the pasta you’re using.
Anonymous says
When making sauce I’m sure you can pick whatever PASTA you want to use with it. No need to be a wet noodle.
Amy says
I am currently making our passed-down recipe, which I have made adjustments to, of course. 😉
I wanted to know if I could do it in the crock pot because I spend all day running into the kitchen to stir. I hopped onto the computer and this is the 1st site that popped up.
Thanks to you, I now know I can do my spaghetti sauce in my crockpot.
I bet yours is (almost) as good as mine.
Sarah Olson says
I’m sure it will do great in the crockpot.
Raija says
Delicious and easy to make! My family loved this spaghetti sauce! It isn’t super sweet or too salty, just a really nice sauce! Will definitely be making it again! Thank you!?
Kathy Balvanz says
Best slow cooker spaghetti sauce ever, and I’ve tried a lot on my family. This is a keeper with a huge gold star. Thank you for sharing an awesome recipe. My family loves a meaty sauce so I did add crumbled sausage along with the ground beef.