Crock Pot Italian Sausage Spaghetti Sauce
When it comes to easy and delicious dinner recipes, crock pot dishes are always a winner. And if you're a fan of Italian cuisine, you'll love this crock pot Italian sausage spaghetti sauce recipe. It's hearty, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd. Plus, it's super easy to make – just throw all the ingredients in your crock pot and let it cook low and slow for several hours. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to make this delicious dish.
Ingredients
Before you start cooking, here are the ingredients you'll need:
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
As for the equipment, you'll need a crock pot or slow cooker. If you don't have one, you can also cook this recipe on the stove top in a large pot, but the cooking time will be shorter.
Instructions
Now that you have your ingredients ready, it's time to start cooking:
- In a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage and ground beef over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring frequently to break up any large chunks. Drain the excess fat.
- Transfer the cooked meat to your crock pot.
- Add the diced onion, minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to the crock pot. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Cover the crock pot and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours, or on high heat for 3-4 hours.
- Before serving, stir in the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Enjoy your delicious crock pot Italian sausage spaghetti sauce with your favorite pasta! You can also serve it with some crusty bread and a green salad for a complete meal.
This recipe makes about 8 servings, so you'll have plenty of leftovers for the next day. You can also freeze any extra sauce for up to 3 months.
Tips and Variations
If you want to customize this recipe to your taste, here are some tips and variations:
- If you prefer a spicier sauce, you can use hot Italian sausage or add some red pepper flakes.
- If you're short on time, you can skip browning the meat and just add it raw to the crock pot. The sauce will still turn out delicious, but the texture will be slightly different.
- If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, you can skip the meat and add some chopped vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers.
- If you're on a low-carb diet, you can serve this sauce over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead of regular pasta.
- If you want to add some extra flavor, you can stir in some grated Parmesan cheese or a splash of red wine before serving.
Conclusion
Crock pot Italian sausage spaghetti sauce is a delicious and easy recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. With just a few simple ingredients and a crock pot, you can make a hearty and flavorful sauce that will please the whole family. Whether you serve it with spaghetti, zucchini noodles, or crusty bread, this sauce is sure to become a favorite in your house.