Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce Recipe

It is definitely no secret that I LOVE pasta and I can eat it every single day.  When I found this recipe on Spend with Pennies, I knew I had to try it.  I altered the recipe just a bit to accommodate what I had in my fridge and pantry, but it was delicious!

I saved enough sauce to use for a couple of nights’ worth of dinner and the rest is in our freezer.

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 onions, diced
2lb ground beef
2 x 28oz canned crushed tomato
4 tbsp tomato paste
3 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
3 dried bay leaves
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Pasta

Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook until translucent and sweet – around 7 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet and increase heat to high. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned. Cook in 2 batches if your skillet is not large enough. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6 hours.

Spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the spaghetti until just before al dente. Remove 1 mug of the water from the pot, then drain the pasta.

Return the pasta to the pot and add 2½ – 3 cups of Bolognese Sauce, plus ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Toss gently over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and coats the spaghetti.

Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

Related:

Cheesy Broccoli, Bacon, Carrot, and Celery Soup

Red Lentil and Chickpea Slow Cooker Stew