Hearty crockpot spaghetti bolognese sauce with ground beef and Italian sausage simmered low and slow for rich, family friendly flavor.
My daughter is a big fan of spaghetti, so ever since she started eating them, I've been making variations until I found what she asks for the most, and this seems to be that recipe. She's tried the quick stovetop versions, the ones with hidden vegetables, and even the fancier Italian-style sauces, but this crockpot version is the one she gets excited about. I think it's because the sauce has time to really develop those deep, slow-simmered flavors that just taste richer than anything you can throw together in 30 minutes.
At first, I wasn't sure how well the crockpot would handle a meat sauce, but it came out thick, hearty, and perfectly seasoned. The combination of ground beef and Italian sausage gives it so much more flavor than using just one type of meat, and browning everything first makes a huge difference. The house smells amazing all day while it's cooking, and by dinnertime, the sauce has that rich, restaurant-quality depth that I'm so obsessed with.
I love how hands-off this recipe is. I brown the meat and onions in the morning, dump everything into the crockpot, and by the time dinner rolls around, I have a sauce that tastes like it's been simmering on the stove all day. My daughter always asks for seconds, and my husband has been known to eat the leftovers straight from the fridge the next day because he can't wait to reheat it.
Serve it over spaghetti noodles with plenty of parmesan cheese and fresh herbs on top. It's the kind of meal that makes everyone at the table happy, which is exactly what I need on a hectic weeknight.
Ingredients
Ground beef and ground Italian sausage are what give this crockpot spaghetti meat sauce its richness. An 85/15 ground beef ratio adds enough fat for flavor without making the sauce greasy, while the Italian sausage brings built-in seasoning that deepens the overall taste. You can use mild or hot sausage depending on how much heat you like, but skipping the sausage entirely will result in a flatter sauce. Onion and garlic get sautéed with the meat to add sweetness and aroma that builds the flavor base.
Jarred pasta sauce might seem like a shortcut, but using two jars creates a consistent, well-seasoned base that holds up to long, slow cooking. Pairing it with crushed tomatoes adds freshness and body, preventing the sauce from tasting overly processed. This combination gives you the depth of a long-simmered sauce without having to build everything from scratch. Brown sugar is a small but important addition. It balances the acidity of the tomatoes and rounds out the sauce without making it sweet.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
How to Make Crockpot Spaghetti Bolognese Meat Sauce?
This crockpot spaghetti meat sauce is a classic, hands-off dinner that gives rich, slow-simmered flavor with minimal effort. Letting the sauce cook low and slow allows the meat, tomatoes, and seasonings to blend together into a hearty sauce.
Brown the Meat
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and ground Italian sausage and cook until fully browned, breaking the meat into small pieces with a spatula as it cooks. Browning the meat first adds flavor and prevents the sauce from becoming greasy in the slow cooker.
Cook the Onion and Garlic
Build the Sauce in the Crockpot
The long cooking time allows the flavors to fully develop and the sauce to thicken.
Serve
Remove the bay leaf before serving. Spoon the sauce over cooked spaghetti noodles and top with grated parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, if desired.
Storage
Store leftover spaghetti meat sauce in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Let the sauce cool completely before storing to maintain the best texture and flavor. To reheat, warm the sauce on the stovetop over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much during storage.
Top Tips for Crockpot Spaghetti Bolognese Meat Sauce
Adjust the meat to your preference: You can use all ground beef or all Italian sausage if you prefer, but using a mix of both gives the sauce a deeper flavor and better seasoning.
Make it extra meaty: For a thicker, heartier sauce, add an extra pound of meat. Just be sure to brown it first so the sauce does not become greasy.
Add vegetables for more texture: Mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, or olives are great additions if you want to bulk up the sauce. Stir them in when adding the sauce ingredients, so they have time to soften and absorb flavor.
Recipe
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Crockpot Spaghetti Bolognese Meat Sauce
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 85/15 ground beef
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage
- 1 onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 jars pasta sauce 24 oz. each
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef and ground Italian sausage, using a spatula to break into smaller chunks.
- Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until tender and fragrant. Transfer to the crockpot.
- Add the pasta sauce, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Serve over prepared spaghetti noodles. Top with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.
