Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce With Italian Sausage
If you're looking for a delicious and easy way to make spaghetti sauce, look no further than your crockpot. This recipe for crockpot spaghetti sauce with Italian sausage is sure to become a family favorite. With just a few simple ingredients and some time in the slow cooker, you can have a flavorful and satisfying meal that everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened.
- Transfer the sausage mixture to your crockpot and add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Stir everything together until well combined.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Once the sauce is done cooking, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles and enjoy!
That's all there is to it! This crockpot spaghetti sauce is perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends when you don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. And the best part is that it's incredibly versatile - you can use it in all sorts of pasta dishes, from lasagna to baked ziti to spaghetti and meatballs.
Tips and Variations
Here are a few tips and variations to help you customize this recipe to your liking:
- If you don't have Italian sausage, you can use ground beef or turkey instead.
- Feel free to mix up the spices - add more or less of any of them to suit your taste.
- If you like your sauce on the sweeter side, add a tablespoon or two of sugar to the crockpot.
- If you want your sauce to be chunkier, leave out the tomato paste and use diced or crushed tomatoes instead.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the sausage and add in some diced veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms.