Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce is an easy crock pot recipe that's hearty and delicious. This slow cooker beef recipe will become your new go-to!
When morning walks start requiring a hoodie, neighborhood trees begin to change color, and Halloween candy starts appearing on grocery store shelves — I know crock pot season has officially arrived!
Not to say you can’t use a crock pot in the summertime – I mean it’s perfect in that it doesn’t heat up the house – but I usually associate crock pots with a warm and hearty dinner, like Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce, which goes much better with the cooler temps that are inevitably heading our way.
We had “spaghetti night” every Monday when I was growing up, and this yummy tomato sauce simmered with herbs and ground beef all day totally took me back.
Except now I’m not 12, kicking my brother under the table, and getting told NOBODY IS EXCUSED UNTIL THEIR PLATE IS LICKED CLEAN! INCLUDING YOUR WARM MILK!
Now, normally I skip over crock pot recipes that require cooking outside the CP, but I made an exception for this spaghetti sauce. After all, it’s just browning 1lb ground beef in a skillet before draining and adding it to the crock pot with 1 medium onion.
To the beef and onion, add 28oz crushed tomatoes, 8oz tomato sauce, and 6oz tomato paste, which will cook down to create a fabulously rich and luscious tomato sauce.
Finally, add zee spices that will flavor the sauce: 2 teaspoons each dried oregano and basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme,
2 small bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, and 3/4 teaspoons salt.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick (or leave it out – totally your call!) followed by 3 minced garlic cloves.
Mix everything up – then set it, and forget it, baby! That is to say, cook on low for 5-6 hours…
When time is up, stir in the magical ingredient that will take your sauce from good, to great: 2 Tablespoons butter. Don’t leave it out!
Scoop over cooked pasta then dig in to this easy, comforting spaghetti supper!
I cannot praise crock pot meals enough. I usually add everything to the pot at night, then place it on the base and turn it on in the morning. Could not be easier!
Some crock pot meals can be heavy and gloopy, but Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce is right on the money. Give it a try sometime!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- salt and pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, optional
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Directions
- Season ground beef with salt and pepper then brown with onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain then add to a 6 quart crock pot.
- Add all the ingredients except for the butter, stir to combine, then cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove bay leaves, stir in butter, then serve over cooked pasta.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This is perfect, easy and my weekly go to! FYI, precooking the ground beef is not 100% necessary. 3 or 4 hours in the crock pot is more than enough to cook it from raw:)
Love your site. That omg bread was awesome!! The noodles with meat sauce was awesome as well..
About how much garlic salt and Italian seasoning did you add to the butter for the bread?
Made this today and it was wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
I made this garlic bread recently and it was great! I want to prepare and freeze a couple of loaves for future dinners. Have you tried this? How long should I bake the ones from the freezer? Thank you!
Hey Sarah! I haven’t tried freezing this bread but I’d probably just google “freezing garlic bread” to see what some other sites recommend.
This looks so good! How much pasta do you usually cook to go with it?
Hey Sarah! This makes enough for at least 1lb pasta.
Kristin, this sauce is amazing! I made it for the first time last night when I had no jarred sauce in the house. Confession: I rarely bother with homemade sauce because it seems like a hassle but this “set it and forget it” sauce blew my mind! I even had to get creative using what I had on hand and used whole tomatoes (just crushed them a bit with a fork) and subbed 3 tsp of garlic powder for fresh garlic. I stirred the butter in after 5 hours and let it sit overnight. I refrigerated the sauce and I’m reheating now to make with with your sneaky meatball subs (haven’t made those in awhile) and I just snuck a taste and it’s incredible!!! This is my new go-to sauce. I love all your wonderful recipes. Your blog is always the first one I consult when I am looking for something specific, or just need inspiration!
Thank you so much for the feedback, Liz – hope you’re doing well!
Do you think you could add the pasta the last half hour like other recipes call for or must you cook it separately?
Thank you so much for this recipe. I doubled it and cooked it on low for 8 hours ~ fantastic! I love it and how easy it is. The flavor is great. No more store bought for us! Love. Love. Love it!
We made this last night and Tim, my husband, said it was the best thing I’ve made in awhile. It’s funny, he says that everytime I make one of your meals! Thanks for all your hard work and congrats on your upcoming bundle of joy!
I made this tonight and somehow burned it in the crockpot :( I did cook it a bit longer than 6 hours so that was probably why. A few teaspoons of peanut butter made it edible, but it still wasn’t as good as I’d hoped. I will try again though!
Loved It!! I forgot to put the butter in, maybe next time but I don’t think it needs it.
My son invited his church over for dinner last night .
Told me at midnight last night. I was going to have spaghetti for dinner anyway. but this made it easy for me to double recipe and not have to watch pots while I clean up the house for company. I added italian sausage that I browned with the onions and some peppers cross your fingers for me its cooking now