Ok, let me start by saying you all need to make a batch of this: the best homemade slow cooker spaghetti sauce ever. Make it, portion it and freeze it.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
You can use it on top of your favorite pasta, for lasagna, stuffed pasta shells, cannelloni, or look for our delicious “Cream cheese spaghetti” recipe, “One-pot taco spaghetti” or our “Cheddar chicken pasta” and use it as a base to make them.
This delicious spaghetti sauce with ground beef and Italian sausage virtually cooks itself and is truly the best I’ve ever made, and since I use canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste, it is the easiest too!
I can always find it in my freezer and it saves me so much cooking time, that literally, all I have to do is boil pasta, and dinner is served.
WHAT IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT IN SPAGHETTI SAUCE?
The secret to this delicious spaghetti sauce is the addition of Italian sausage to the meat mixture. It really adds so much flavor.
You can use spicy Italian sausage if you like a little heat in your sauce, use sweet Italian sausage if you like it on the sweeter side, or just mild like I did.
There are several sausage flavors you can choose from to customize the sauce to your liking, or just for a little variety.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE?
- In a large dutch oven, cook the ground meat, Italian sausage, chopped onions, and minced garlic until you no longer see any pink in the meat. Discard any excess fat if you want a leaner version.
- Place cooked meat mixture in a 5 qt slow cooker and add the spices, sugar, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and canola oil.
- Add the ½ cup of water, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours. If you can’t wait for the 8 hour cooking time, you can cook it on high for 4 hours.
REHEATING AND STORAGE TIPS;
I think the best way to reheat frozen spaghetti sauce is on the stovetop, but if you are in a hurry you can reheat it in the microwave.
Remember to thaw the sauce in the fridge the night before you want to use it for the best results. If it has only been refrigerated, reheating in the microwave is easier and faster.
Storage:
I recommend making a full batch, portioning it (I do 3 portions of 1 qt each for my family size of 6), and freezing in freezer bags. Remember to label the bags with the date you made them. If you only want to refrigerate it, do it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
NEED A SIDE DISH? CHECK OUT THESE AWESOME;
HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- ¾ pound bulk Italian sausage
- 4 medium onions, finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cans (14 ½ ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 4 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ cup minced parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Salt to taste
- Hot cooked spaghetti
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, cook the ground meat, Italian sausage, chopped onions, and minced garlic until you no longer see any pink in the meat. Discard any excess fat if you want a leaner version.
- Place cooked meat mixture in a 5 qt slow cooker and add the spices, sugar, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and canola oil.
- Add the ½ cup of water, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours. If you can’t wait for the 8 hour cooking time, you can cook it on high for 4 hours.
This was delicious but too sweet in my opinion. Next time I make it I will try putting in less sugar.