Go Back

Meat-Lover's Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

This crockpot spaghetti sauce creates a great, chunky, and very meaty spaghetti sauce. The longer it cooks in your slow cooker, the better it tastes! Boil up some pasta, and dinner tastes like you spent all day at the stove!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 40 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 people
Calories 2331 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Slow Cooker
  • 1 Large Skillet Preferably cast iron or heavy-bottomed for optimal browning
  • 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula For browning and stirring
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ pound bulk Italian sausage
  • 2 small onions chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 29 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 14.5 ounce can Italian-style diced tomatoes
  • 1 14.5 ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
  • 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and onion; cook and stir until sausage is browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer sausage and onions to a slow cooker.
  • Add ground beef to the same skillet over medium heat; season with Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and marjoram. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Transfer ground beef into the slow cooker.
  • Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and basil. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. Stir in sugar 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Achieving a deep, caramelized brown on both the Italian sausage and ground beef is paramount. This Maillard reaction develops intense savory flavors crucial for a rich sauce. Don't rush these browning steps. After browning each meat, deglaze the skillet with a splash of red wine or water to capture all the flavorful fond, adding it to the slow cooker. For an enhanced umami profile, consider adding a Parmesan rind or a bay leaf to simmer with the sauce. Adjust the sugar to taste, balancing the acidity of the tomatoes. Finish with fresh herbs like basil or parsley stirred in just before serving for a brighter aroma.