This spaghetti sauce was part of my slow cooker week, and I have to tell you, it's an all time favorite at our house! This recipe can be easily doubled, and it freezes beautifully making it a time saver for future meals. What else can I say, but that it's spaghettilicious!
Ingredients you'll need:
2 ½ lb extra lean ground beef
8 oz sweet or spicy Italian sausage
1 large sweet onion, finely diced
olive oil
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 ½ Tbsp dry Italian seasoning
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½-1 Tbsp coarse sea salt [more or less to your taste]
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 [24 oz] jar marinara sauce [i.e.Bertolli Five Cheese]
2 [8 oz] cans basil, garlic & oregano tomato sauce
1 [14.5 oz] can basil, garlic & oregano diced tomatoes
1 [6 oz] can basil, garlic & oregano tomato paste
3-4 Tbsp brown sugar [more or less to taste]
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
16 oz thin spaghetti, cooked to al dente
Directions:
While the meats are cooking, pour all of the remaining ingredients: the jar of marinara sauce, tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, and brown sugar into a 6 quart slow cooker. Add the cooked ground beef and sausage with the onion and seasonings to the slow cooker and give it a good stir to blend the ingredients together. Place the lid tightly on top, and set the slow cooker on low. Cook for 6-7 hours and I recommend giving it a stir midway through the cooking time, if possible. Just before serving mix in ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve over hot spaghetti. Yield: approximately 3 quarts
Cook's note:
Don't shy away from the brown sugar. It neutralizes the acidic taste of the tomatoes and lends a richness to the sauce that makes it so delicious! If you'd like to change it up a little, toss in ¾ cup of pepperoni minis 2 hours before the sauce is finished cooking. Kids always love a surprise ingredient!
Slow Cooked Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lb extra lean ground beef
- 8 oz sweet or spicy Italian sausage
- 1 large sweet onion finely diced
- olive oil
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 ½ Tbsp dry Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½-1 Tbsp coarse sea salt [more or less to your taste]
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 [24 oz] jar marinara sauce [i.e.Bertolli Five Cheese]
- 2 [8 oz] cans basil garlic & oregano tomato sauce
- 1 [14.5 oz] can basil garlic & oregano diced tomatoes
- 1 [6 oz] can basil garlic & oregano tomato paste
- 3-4 Tbsp brown sugar [more or less to taste]
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 16 oz thin spaghetti cooked to al dente
Instructions
- In a stove top pan, over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, Italian sausage and diced onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Cook until no pink remains..
- Drain any excess fat from the pan, then add the Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, sea salt and black pepper.
- While the meats are cooking, pour all of the remaining ingredients: the jar of marinara sauce, tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, and brown sugar into a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Add the cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, onion and seasonings to the slow cooker and give it a good stir to blend the ingredients together.
- Place the lid tightly on top, and set the slow cooker on low. Cook for 6-7 hours.
- Just before serving mix in ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Serve over hot spaghetti.
Notes
My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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Linda C Richardson
Is this bulk sausage you use? Or links? hard to tell by the picture.
Melissa
Either one will work. If using links, remove outer casings.
Laura
Can you cook this sauce on the High setting of your slow cooker for less time ?
Melissa
You can. Depending on your slow cooker, do watch so it won't burn around the edge.