Slow Cooked Spaghetti Sauce

Course Main Course, Sauce

Cuisine American, Italian Inspired

Keyword slow-cooked-spaghetti-sauce, spaghetti-sauce-recipes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 20

Servings servings

Calories 343kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef
8 oz sweet or spicy Italian sausage
1 large sweet onion finely diced
olive oil
4 cloves garlic finely minced
1 1/2 Tbsp dry Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2-1 Tbsp coarse sea salt [more or less to your taste]
1/2 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 adjust to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1-2 16 oz packages thin spaghetti cooked to al dente (adjust amount based on servings needed)

Instructions

On the stove top in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown 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 minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, sea salt and black pepper.
Meanwhile, pour all of the remaining ingredients: marinara sauce, tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, and brown sugar into a 6 quart slow cooker.
Add 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 firmly on top, and set the slow cooker on low. Cook for 6-8 hours.
Just before serving mix in 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
Serve over hot spaghetti.

Notes

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 3/4 cup of pepperoni minis 2 hours before the sauce is finished cooking. Kids always love a surprise ingredient!

Nutrition