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Crockpot Spaghetti Meat Sauce Recipe

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4 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Leila
  • Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Description

This hearty Crockpot Spaghetti Meat Sauce combines ground beef, Italian sausage, and rich tomato sauces simmered slowly with aromatic herbs and spices for a deeply flavorful pasta topping. Perfect for a comforting, hands-off meal that fills your kitchen with inviting aromas and delivers a tender, robust sauce to coat your favorite spaghetti noodles.

Ingredients

Meats

  • 1 lb 85/15 ground beef
  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

Tomato Base

  • 2 jars pasta sauce (24 oz each)
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Seasonings

  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Brown the meat: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef and Italian sausage. Break the meat into smaller chunks as it cooks, ensuring it browns evenly and releases its flavorful fat.
  2. Sauté aromatics: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the browned meat. Sauté for approximately 2 minutes until the onions become softened and the garlic is fragrant, enhancing the sauce's depth of flavor.
  3. Transfer to slow cooker: Move the cooked meat and aromatics mixture into the slow cooker. Pour in both jars of pasta sauce and the can of crushed tomatoes. Add Italian seasoning, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir everything thoroughly to combine.
  4. Cook the sauce: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. This slow cooking process melds all ingredients together, producing a rich, thick, and flavorful meat sauce.
  5. Serve: Spoon the meat sauce over freshly cooked spaghetti noodles. For the best experience, finish with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs like parsley or basil if desired.

Notes

  • This sauce tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld overnight.
  • If you prefer a spicier sauce, increase the cayenne pepper slightly.
  • For a leaner version, substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef and sausage.
  • To keep this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta and check that the pasta sauce and sausage don’t contain gluten additives.
  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: Italian

Find it online: https://recipesbyleila.com/crockpot-spaghetti-meat-sauce-recipe/