Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

A thick and delicious ground beef spaghetti sauce that’s slow-cooked for the ultimate flavor. Make this easy and delicious Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce for your next spaghetti night. It doesn’t get easy than throwing it all in the slow cooker and letting the flavors mingle before serving over a bed of pasta. The whole family will devour it.

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For your next spaghetti night, skip the stove top and make your spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker instead! This is the easiest way to make a big batch of meat sauce that doesn’t require any babysitting. Just do a few simple steps and then leave it to simmer until dinner time. But if you are in a hurry and can’t wait for a crockpot to make your spaghetti sauce, not to worry! I have an easy homemade spaghetti sauce recipe you can make on the stovetop.

I love making this slow cooker spaghetti sauce because it’s so easy and the family loves it especially with some cheesy garlic bread or breadsticks on the side! Serve this easy homemade pasta sauce over spaghetti, or any other pasta you like for the best spaghetti night!

Why you’ll Love Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

• This recipe is so easy! Instead of simmering and stirring the sauce on the stove, you let the slow cooker do all of the hard work. I love that I can jsut leave it to do its thing!
• Some slow cooker pasta sauce recipes come out too watery. Not this one! It has the best consistency and texture.
• The leftovers are even better the next day! Or you can freeze your spaghetti sauce and thaw it later for really easy dinners when life gets crazy. It’s great for meal prep!

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

• Ground beef – You don’t need to use lean ground beef in this recipe! Since it’s browned first, you can drain off excess grease before adding to the crock pot.
• Crushed tomatoes – I like crushed tomatoes because they are already broken down. You can use canned whole tomatoes, but you should mash them a bit before adding to the slow cooker.
• Canned tomato sauce – This adds more tangy tomato flavor and also gives the sauce a great velvety texture.
• Tomato paste – I use 12 ounces, which may seem like a lot, but I promise it isn’t. This is the key ingredient for the perfect thickness of your spaghetti sauce.
• Brown sugar – This helps balance the acidity from all the tomatoes. Don’t skip it!
• Chopped white onion – I love the flavor of white onion, but yellow onion works, too!
• Minced garlic – Freshly minced garlic will add loads of flavor to this slow cooker spaghetti sauce with ground beef.
• Dried basil and oregano – Feel free to use the same amount of Italian seasoning if that’s what you have on hand.
• Salt and black pepper – Bring all of the flavors together with just a bit of salt and pepper.

Can I use a different kind of meat for spaghetti sauce?

You can skip the beef and use ground turkey, ground pork, or Italian sausage. You can even use frozen meatballs or some ground chicken. All of these options will work well!

How to Make Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and then cook the beef until it’s browned. Once cooked, drain off the excess fat from the pan.
2. Place the cooked ground beef in the slow cooker and add all of the other ingredients. Stir to combine and then secure the lid.
3. You can cook crock pot spaghetti sauce on high for four hours or on low for eight hours. Don’t take the lid off while it’s cooking.
4. Give it a good stir every so often if you’d like, then serve whenever you’re ready!

Can you cook raw ground beef in a crockpot?

Technically, you can cook ground beef in a slow cooker but it depends on the recipe. For this spaghetti sauce, I brown the beef first so that it has a good texture. If you add the ground beef with the other ingredients in the slow cooker, the texture will turn out completely different. So, that’s why I like to cook the raw ground beef before adding it to the crock pot!

Can you cook pasta in the crockpot along with the sauce?

For this recipe, you can’t cook the pasta with the slow cooker spaghetti sauce and instead will need to boil it separately. If you want an all-in-one recipe try my crockpot spaghetti! I developed that specific recipe for those days when I really want the pasta to cook directly in the sauce.

What to Serve with Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Boil some spaghetti, or your favorite pasta, and then spoon this delicious slow cooker sauce over the top. Add some grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped parsley for garnish.

Sometimes I make my copycat Olive Garden breadsticks for a special treat to go with it! You can also add a side dish like air fryer broccoli or a salad with Italian or Caesar dressing. Fresh garlic bread is always yummy with spaghetti too, and fried ravioli is just perfect for a pasta night appetizer.

How to Store Leftover Spaghetti Sauce

FRIDGE: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for three to four days.

FREEZER: Leftover freeze well too. Allow it to cool completely and then store in freezer bags or containers for two to three months.

Can I make this recipe in the Instant Pot?

I haven’t tested this crockpot recipe in an Instant Pot, but I have a great Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe you should try!

When is the next pasta night at your house? Be sure to pick up the ingredients for this Slow Cooker spaghetti sauce! It will be the hit of the week – enjoy!

More Slow Cooker Pasta Recipes

• Chili Mac combines two comfort foods in one! Plus, it’s an easy recipe you can make in your crockpot.
• Make a batch of Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese the next time you get a craving for creamy, cheesy pasta!
• Beef and Noodle Soup is so easy and a great dinner when you want something hearty and cozy!
• Make Crock Pot Lasagna when you’re craving a classic favorite without all the crazy steps.

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

 

4.88 from 8 votes

Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

Thick and hearty spaghetti sauce with ground beef made in your slow cooker!

Prep:10 minutes mins

Cook:8 hours hrs

Total:8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 can)
• ▢ 29 ounces tomato sauce
• ▢ 2 cans tomato paste (6 oz each)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup diced white onion
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 Tablespoons dried oregano
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried basil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper

For serving

• ▢ Cooked spaghetti noodles
• ▢ Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• ▢ Fresh parsley

Instructions

• Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Drain off fat.
• Add the meat to the crock pot. Then add the rest of the ingredients for the spaghetti sauce.
• Place the lids on the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Do not open lids during the cooking time.
• Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles and garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Tips

*Nutrition information is for sauce only

Nutrition Information

Calories: 314kcal (16%), Carbohydrates: 35g (12%), Protein: 21g (42%), Fat: 12g (18%), Saturated Fat: 5g (31%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 51mg (17%), Sodium: 1781mg (77%), Potassium: 1703mg (49%), Fiber: 8g (33%), Sugar: 23g (26%), Vitamin A: 1761IU (35%), Vitamin C: 36mg (44%), Calcium: 128mg (13%), Iron: 7mg (39%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.