This Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce is hearty and rich and develops the most incredible flavor in the slow cooker! It’s perfect for a deeply satisfying and super easy weeknight meal. Succulent seasoned ground beef with a host of veggies, in a pasta sauce, with Italian seasoning – this slow cooker spaghetti sauce will please the hungriest of bellies!
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Why We Love This Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce is delicious, easy, and feeds a huge crowd. Serve it up with some golden spaghetti noodles for the most amazing slow cooker spaghetti bolognese! It’s a great way to use ground beef, and it makes a delicious family dinner.
- Flavorful. This sauce is cooked low and slow in the crockpot to bring out all the flavors of the ingredients.
- Foolproof. This is a cinch to make! A quick brown of the beef then into the crockpot with the other ingredients – it comes out perfect every time.
- Perfect Meal Prep. This slow cooker spaghetti sauce makes a big batch, so freeze some for some easy weeknight meals.
Variations on Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
This sauce is loaded with veggies but you can of course pile more in! Instead of ground beef you can use ground turkey. To make vegetarian swap the ground beef for soy crumbles. You can also opt for low-sodium ingredients to manage the salt level further.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover crockpot spaghetti sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan set over medium-low heat until warmed through.
How to Freeze
A great way to freeze this slow cooker spaghetti sauce is to pour it into Ziplock bags, that way you can lay them out in thin layers, taking up less space in the freezer. The sauce will keep for up to 3 months. To thaw, you can leave it in the fridge overnight or place it in a bowl of cool water for around 45 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Naturally, this crockpot spaghetti sauce goes with spaghetti and a side of easy cheesy garlic bread, but you can also slather this rich sauce on all kinds of things! We love to use it as a meaty sauce base for pizza, spread it on a bun for some Italian sloppy joes, or use it to fill stromboli! It’s also great over rice or riced cauliflower.
More Ground Beef Recipes To Try
- Stovetop Burgers
- Baked Cheeseburger Sliders
- American Goulash
- Perfect Boiled Ground Beef
- Stuffed Shells with Meat
- Hamburger Casserole
Notes from the Test Kitchen
- To save time, you can chop your veggies the day before and store them in the refrigerator.
- You can also brown the beef ahead of time, and store it in the fridge until you need it.
- Top with shredded cheddar or Parmesan.
Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 16 ounces baby bella mushrooms diced
- 6 ounces medium black olives diced, optional
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes (1 large can)
- 24 ounces four cheese pasta sauce (1 jar) – we used Hunt's
- 64 ounces marinara sauce (2⅔ jars) – we used Prego Traditional
To Make Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
- 2 pounds cooked spaghetti noodles (2 boxes)
- 8 ounces freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- Dried basil optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown and drain the ground beef in a frying pan, then place it in the crockpot.3 pounds lean ground beef
- Add the onion, mushrooms, olives (if using), Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.1 yellow onion, 16 ounces baby bella mushrooms, 6 ounces medium black olives, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pour in the diced tomatoes and pasta sauces. Stir well.28 ounces petite diced tomatoes, 24 ounces four cheese pasta sauce, 64 ounces marinara sauce
- Set the crockpot on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Serve with cooked spaghetti noodles, fresh parmesan, and dried basil.2 pounds cooked spaghetti noodles, 8 ounces freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, Dried basil
Video
Becky’s Tips
- To save time, you can chop your veggies the day before and store them in the refrigerator.
- You can also brown the beef ahead of time, and store it in the fridge until you need it.
- Top with shredded cheddar or Parmesan.
- Nutritional information is for the sauce only, not prepared with spaghetti.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce Step by Step
Cook the Beef: Brown and drain 3 pounds of lean ground beef in a frying pan, then place it in the crockpot.
Add the Veggies: Add 1 diced yellow onion, 16 ounces of diced baby bella mushrooms, 6 ounces of diced medium black olives (if using), 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
Add the Sauces: Pour in 28 ounces (1 large can) of petite diced tomatoes, 24 ounces (1 jar) of four cheese pasta sauce, and 64 ounces (2⅔ jars) of marinara sauce. Stir well.
Cook the Sauce: Set the crockpot on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
Garnish and Serve: Serve with 2 pounds (2 boxes) of cooked spaghetti noodles, 8 ounces of fresh parmesan, and dried basil.
Yes, as the sauce continues to cook, it will thicken, especially if you remove the lid of the crockpot at any point.
Your sauce may turn out watery if you add too much liquid, or if you cook it for too long. A simple fix is to turn the heat up to high and remove the lid to evaporate excess liquid.
Please try not to call this a Bolognese sauce.I realize today’ S cooking styles vary,but having one believe black olives or jarred cheese sauce is a Bolognese is hard to accept.Love your recipes and at times are surely “different” than an original.Black olives are in a puttanesca sauce,yes? I may be an older time cook,but original recipes do not require exaggerated time to cook. Enjoy all that you make.