Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce
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With a few simple ingredients, this hearty Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce couldn’t be easier or tastier! Serve over pasta, zoodles, or spaghetti squash for a delicious and healthy dinner. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and freezer-friendly.
Or try our Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce for a faster version.
What’s to Love About This Recipe
“We’ve made this pasta sauce MANY times. The meat combo (using both ground beef and ground pork) adds such flavor. Great recipe!” – Janny
Here’s why I think you’re going to enjoy this slow cooker spaghetti sauce, too…
- Hearty, Nutritious Dinner: Serve over whole grain pasta, zoodles, spaghetti squash, or even quinoa.
- Slow Cooks All Day: Similar to our Crock Pot Taco Soup and Creamy Sausage and Tortellini Soup, just brown the meat and toss everything in the crock pot.
- Only 6 Main Ingredients
- Freezer-Friendly: Just double and freeze the second batch for another meal.
- Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free
- Leftovers Are Great: Serve it up with some Texas Toast and Roasted Broccoli for a super easy meal.
Ingredients
As we also mention in our Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage recipe, don’t be fooled into thinking this is a boring sauce just because it’s simple. Check out the heavy-hitting lineup of complex flavors of these 6 ingredients!
Ingredient Notes
- Lean Ground Beef – I use grass-fed, organic lean ground beef, but you can easily sub ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Ground Italian Sausage – You can use mild or spicy Italian pork sausage, but make sure it’s ground (not pre-cooked in a link). You can also substitute ground turkey or chicken sausage here.
- Marinara Sauce – Be sure to read the ingredients and try to avoid “natural flavors”, a lot of added sugar, and other weird ingredients you’re not familiar with. I personally love Newman’s Own Marinara Sauce. Or, try making your own with our Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce recipe. It’s cheap, budget-friendly, freezable, and amazing!
Note: Find our full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and directions at the bottom of this post.
How Long to Cook Spaghetti Sauce in Crockpot
This is an all-day slow cooker recipe.
You’ll need to do about 20 minutes of work ahead of time to build flavor, including chopping and sautéing the aromatics (onion and garlic) and browning the meat.
Then, dump all the ingredients into the crockpot and let them gently simmer away all day long–about 8 hours–on LOW. Your home will smell amazing by dinner time!
How to Freeze Spaghetti Sauce
This is one meal that you’ll definitely want to double, so you can freeze a batch for later.
How to Freeze For Later:
Option 1 (Uncooked): Saute the onion/garlic and then brown the meat with red pepper flakes on the stovetop. Let the meat mixture cool, then transfer it to a gallon-size freezer bag or container and pour in the marinara. Seal, gently toss to combine, and freeze flat.
Option 2 (Fully Cooked): Let the sauce fully cool. Then, freeze in a gallon-size freezer bag or container.
How to Prepare From Frozen:
Thaw using one of our safe methods.
Option 1 (Uncooked): Transfer the sauce to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
Option 2 (Fully Cooked): Warm on the stovetop or in the crockpot over low heat untiled warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Freezing Tip: It’s helpful to freeze the bag of sauce on a rimmed baking sheet to prevent spills and to freeze until it’s flat. Once it’s frozen solid, remove the pan and the meal will stack easily in the freezer.
Make it in the Instant Pot
You can cook the entire meal, including the sauce and spaghetti(!!), in your Instant Pot.
Use the directions in our Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce recipe.
Ways to Serve Crockpot Pasta Sauce
There are many delicious ways to serve meaty spaghetti sauce. Here are some popular options:
- Classic Spaghetti: Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles. Top with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and fresh basil or parsley for a simple and traditional presentation.
- Lasagna: Use it as the meat sauce in our Beefy Baked Lasagna recipe.
- Tortellini Bake: Replace the marinara sauce in our Baked Tortellini with this meat sauce.
- Zoodles: Zucchini noodles are especially delicious during those summer months. Serving them with this sauce is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner when you are looking for something comforting, flavorful and simple!
- Spaghetti Squash – Spaghetti squash is packed with beta-carotene, and Vitamin A. Plus, squash is also very low in calories. When you combine it with a simple, tasty marinara sauce, spaghetti squash becomes a delicious, easy meal.
Side Dish Ideas
Here are a few ideas of side dishes to serve along with your main dish…
FAQs
Yes. Fully cook it as instructed and instead of cooking it in the slow cooker, just let it simmer on low for 2-3 hours.
You bet. Fully cook and cool. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Yes, this will work fine. It won’t have the depth of flavor that sausage brings but it will still be delicious.
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
Want More Freezer-Friendly Crockpot Meals?
We have SO many to choose from in this round-up our best freezer-friendly slow cooker meals. Make sure to hop over and browse around.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce
With a few simple ingredients, this hearty Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce couldn’t be easier or tastier! Serve over pasta, zoodles, or spaghetti squash for a delicious and healthy dinner. Double and freeze a batch for later using our freezing instructions.
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef (sub: ground turkey)
- 1/2 pound mild or hot ground Italian pork sausage (sub: Italian turkey sausage)
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 2 (approx. 24-ounce) jars marinara sauce (or 6 cups of Homemade Marinara Sauce)
- Optional, for serving: whole-grain pasta, zoodles, spaghetti squash, or quinoa, and Parmesan cheese
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Instructions
Make It Now:
1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring in the garlic the last 30 to 60 seconds of cooking. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes, seasoning lightly with salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes while it cooks. Drain the grease from the pan.
2. Transfer the meat mixture to the slow cooker and stir in the marinara sauce. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. If the edges start to burn a little, just give it a stir.
3. Serve the sauce over whole-grain pasta, zoodles, spaghetti squash, or quinoa, topped with Parmesan, if desired.
How to Freeze For Later:
Option 1 (Uncooked): Follow Step 1. Let the meat mixture completely cool, then transfer it to a gallon-size freezer bag and pour in the marinara sauce. Seal, gently toss to combine, and freeze.
Option 2 (Fully Cooked): Follow Steps 1 and 2. Let the sauce fully cool. Then, freeze in a gallon-size freezer bag or container.
How to Prepare From Frozen:
Thaw using one of our safe methods. (Never place frozen food in the slow cooker! It’s unsafe according to the USDA.)
Option 1 (Uncooked): Transfer the sauce to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
Option 2 (Fully Cooked): Warm on the stovetop, in the crockpot, or in the microwave untiled warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Notes/Tips
- Dairy-Free Version: The sauce is dairy-free, but leave off the Parmesan cheese when serving.
- Gluten-Free Version: The sauce is gluten-free, but serve over GF pasta, zoodles, spaghetti squash (my favorite!), or quinoa.
- Tip for Buying Marinara Sauce: We recommend buying an organic or all-natural brand of marinara sauce to avoid additives and preservatives. My favorites are Newman’s Own Marinara Sauce or Rao’s brand. Alternatively, you can make your own delicious sauce using this recipe.
- Sometimes when I make this, I toss in about 1 teaspoon of crushed oregano or Italian seasoning when cooking the meat to add extra flavor.
- Toss in some chopped spinach, too, and no one even knows.
Can you make this and can it?
I haven’t tested doing that, but maybe someone else here has?
So easy and definitely better than store bought
Hi Tracie! Thanks for leaving a review. 🙂
We’ve made this pasta sauce MANY times. The meat combo (using both ground beef and ground pork) adds such flavor. We even chopped up and tossed in a couple of leftover Italian sausages last time we made it. Great recipe!