There's nothing like coming home to a simmering pot of rich, hearty spaghetti sauce. This Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce with Italian Sausage is a true set-it-and-forget-it meal. It's packed with flavor and is perfect for busy days or lazy weekends.
Whether you're feeding a crowd or stocking your freezer, this sauce has delicious, big flavor with minimal effort. Let your slow cooker do all the work, but you get all the credit!
Spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker
Spaghetti has always been a favorite in my house, and this slow-cooked spaghetti sauce is one I make again and again. The rich tomato base, combined with savory Italian sausage, creates an amazing flavor that's hard to beat. The sauce simmers low and slow in the crock pot, which melds all the flavors together.
I love how easy it is to prepare this sauce. A quick sauté of the sausage and onions is all that's needed before everything is added to the slow cooker. Then, it's hands off until dinner time. It’s a great option for busy days when I want a hearty meal without a lot of last-minute prep, and it makes the whole kitchen smell amazing.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is the leftovers. The flavors deepen even more overnight, making it perfect for lunch the next day. I often freeze extra sauce for another time. It's one of those sauces that only gets better with time.
Ingredients for spaghetti sauce
- Canned Tomatoes – These form the base of the sauce. Whole, diced, or chopped all work, depending on the texture you prefer.
- Tomato Sauce – Adds smoothness and helps create a rich, thick consistency.
- Tomato Paste – Concentrates the tomato flavor and thickens the sauce.
- Seasoning – A blend of dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, parsley, and fennel seed gives the sauce its classic Italian flavor.
- Italian Sausage – Adds hearty flavor and a bit of spice. Use mild or spicy Italian sausage.
- Onion – Brings sweetness and depth to the sauce as it cooks.
- Garlic – Essential for that robust, savory background in every bite.
- Brown Sugar – Balances the acidity of the tomatoes and rounds out the flavor.
Step-by-step directions for making spaghetti sauce in the crock pot
- Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet.
- When the sausage is mostly browned, add the onions and cook.
- Drain off any excess grease from the sausage.
- Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste to the crock pot. If using whole tomatoes, break them up into smaller pieces. Use a potato masher, or use clean hands.
- Add seasoning, cooked sausage and onions, and brown sugar.
- Stir together.
- Turn the crock pot to low and place the lid on top.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Tips for making spaghetti sauce
- Brown the sausage first – This adds a richer flavor and helps remove excess grease before slow cooking.
- Use quality canned tomatoes – Good tomatoes make a big difference in taste and texture. Feel free to use your Home Canned Tomatoes and your Canned Tomato Sauce.
- Chop onions finely – They’ll soften as they cook, but smaller pieces blend into the sauce more smoothly.
- Add tomato paste for thickness – It deepens the tomato flavor and helps the sauce cling to pasta.
- Remove excess grease – After browning the sausage, drain off any extra fat to keep the sauce from becoming too oily.
- Let it cook low and slow – The longer the sauce simmers, the better the flavors come together.
- Taste and adjust seasoning – Before serving, give the sauce a taste and add salt, pepper, or extra herbs if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, ground beef works well, but Italian sausage adds more flavor. You can also use a mix of both.
We often use ground wild game, like venison or elk, in place of the sausage.
Yes, browning the sausage first adds flavor and improves texture. It also helps reduce excess grease in the sauce.
Absolutely. Let the sauce cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers for up to three months.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Longer cook times help the flavors develop.
Serving suggestions
Serve this homemade spaghetti sauce over your favorite pasta and pair it with some delicious sides.
- Homemade Focaccia Bread
- Homemade Breadsticks
- Cheesy Pesto Bread
- Green salad with Zesty Italian Dressing
This sauce is also delicious used in Baked Spaghetti, Baked Rigatoni, Meatball Pasta Bake, or any recipe calling for marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce.
More delicious pasta dishes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious main dish recipes!
Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (without casings, sweet or hot)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 teaspoons garlic
- 2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon fennel seed
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the Italian sausage. Chop with a large wooden spoon to break into small pieces.1-2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound Italian sausage
- When the sausage is mostly browned, add the onions and cook.1 medium onion
- Drain off any excess grease from the sausage.
- Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.2 teaspoons garlic
- Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste to the crock pot. If using whole tomatoes, break them up into smaller pieces. Use a potato masher, or use clean hands.2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes, 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add seasoning, cooked sausage, and onions, and one tablespoon of brown sugar. Stir together.1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried marjoram, ½ teaspoon fennel seed, 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Turn the crock pot to low and place the lid on top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Taste sauce. Add a tablespoon of brown sugar if the sauce is too acidic. Add extra salt if needed.
- Serve hot over pasta.
Notes
- Brown the sausage first – This adds a richer flavor and helps remove excess grease before slow cooking.
- Use quality canned tomatoes – Good tomatoes make a big difference in taste and texture.
- Chop onions finely – They’ll soften as they cook, but smaller pieces blend into the sauce more smoothly.
- Add tomato paste for thickness – It deepens the tomato flavor and helps the sauce cling to pasta.
- Remove excess grease – After browning the sausage, drain off any extra fat to keep the sauce from becoming too oily.
- Let it cook low and slow – The longer the sauce simmers, the better the flavors come together.
- Taste and adjust seasoning – Before serving, give the sauce a taste and add salt, pepper, brown sugar, or extra herbs if needed.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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