Slow Cooker Sunday Sauce
Sunday sauce is a rich, comforting spaghetti sauce with Italian sausage and meatballs, perfect for a Sunday dinner.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil divided
- 1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage links kept whole
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup red cooking wine
- 1 lb. frozen Italian meatballs
- 56 oz. crushed Italian tomatoes (such as San Marzano) (two 28-oz. cans)
- 28 oz. tomato purée
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For Serving
- cooked pasta such as rigatoni, spaghetti, or penne
- grated Parmesan cheese
- chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the whole Italian sausage links and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on all sides, then transfer them to the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
- Reduce heat to medium; add the other 1 Tbsp. of oil. Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and darkened in color.
- Pour the low-sodium beef broth and red wine into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the onion mixture into the slow cooker over the sausages.
- Add the meatballs, crushed tomatoes, tomato purée, dried oregano, dried basil, optional red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper into the slow cooker. Gently stir the sauce around with the meats until everything is submerged.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours (or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours) until the sausages are extremely tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve the sauce and meats piping hot over cooked pasta with extra grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
If you have it: Drop a small Parmesan rind into the slow cooker at the start of cooking for a rich, savory note in the sauce. Discard the rind before serving.
Searing the sausages first helps render some fat and adds a caramelized flavor to the sauce.
Want to use homemade meatballs? Brown them slightly before adding to the slow cooker.
Cook the pasta separately for best results.
Nutritional values do not include the pasta or toppings.
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1266mg | Potassium: 1085mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2184IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
