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A ladle filled with crock pot spaghetti sauce.
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Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Delicious slow cooker spaghetti sauce with Italian sausage.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 230kcal
Author Kathy Berget

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
US Customary - Metric

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg