Spaghetti Meat Sauce {Slow Cooker or Stovetop}
Mom's recipe for a hearty and healthy Spaghetti Meat Sauce is always a family favorite! The simple spaghetti sauce can be prepared on the stovetop or in
the Crock Pot for a cozy, easy dinner on chilly nights!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword easy meat sauce recipe, spaghetti meat sauce, spaghetti sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings
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cups
Calories 128 kcal
Author Blair
Ingredients
list of 11 items
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced (or about 2 tablespoons bottled minced garlic)
2 lbs. lean ground beef (I used 93% lean, but any variety will work)
2 cans (28 ounces each) Redpack crushed tomatoes
12 ounces Redpack tomato paste
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
¾ cup red wine or substitute with beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1-2 teaspoons sugar
For serving: cooked spaghetti; chopped fresh basil; grated Parmesan cheese
list end
Instructions
SLOW COOKER:
list of 2 items
1. Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and beef
to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off the fat.
2. Transfer beef mixture to a slow cooker. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, chili powder and red wine. Cover and cook on LOW for about 6-8
hours. Season with sugar (optional), salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with cooked spaghetti and garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
list end
STOVETOP:
list of 2 items
1. Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and beef
to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off the fat.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, chili powder and red wine. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2-3 hours. Season with sugar (optional),
salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with cooked spaghetti and garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
list end
Recipe Notes
COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:
list of 6 items
• While my mom has always prepared this meat sauce with ground beef, you can substitute Italian sausage for half (or all) of the beef called for. If you
want a spaghetti meat sauce with ground turkey, simply substitute 2 lbs. of ground turkey for the ground beef.
• For an even lighter option, try serving your meat sauce over zucchini noodles.
• My mom makes her spaghetti meat sauce with mushrooms, so feel free to add sliced mushrooms to your pot! I omitted them from my recipe because my kids
prefer the sauce without the mushrooms.
• I like the rich flavor of the spaghetti meat sauce with red wine. Don't worry -- the alcohol cooks off! That said, if you would rather not use wine in
this recipe, you can substitute with an equal amount of beef broth.
• I list "sugar" as an optional ingredient. Sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes, so I typically include about 1-2 teaspoons (to taste) when I'm
making a pot of sauce.
• When cooking the sauce on the stovetop, be careful to simmer the sauce over very low heat. Stir occasionally, as well. This will prevent any scorching
in the bottom of your pot.
list end
Can you freeze Spaghetti Meat Sauce?
Yes! This is a perfect freezer meal! The recipe yields a large batch, so store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How long can Spaghetti Meat Sauce last in the fridge?
The meat sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Spaghetti Meat Sauce {Slow Cooker or Stovetop}
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup)
Calories 128 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 310mg13%
Potassium 669mg19%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 685IU14%
Vitamin C 13mg16%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 3.3mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
From the seasoned mom
_._,_._,_
Mom's recipe for a hearty and healthy Spaghetti Meat Sauce is always a family favorite! The simple spaghetti sauce can be prepared on the stovetop or in
the Crock Pot for a cozy, easy dinner on chilly nights!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword easy meat sauce recipe, spaghetti meat sauce, spaghetti sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings
undefined
cups
Calories 128 kcal
Author Blair
Ingredients
list of 11 items
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced (or about 2 tablespoons bottled minced garlic)
2 lbs. lean ground beef (I used 93% lean, but any variety will work)
2 cans (28 ounces each) Redpack crushed tomatoes
12 ounces Redpack tomato paste
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
¾ cup red wine or substitute with beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1-2 teaspoons sugar
For serving: cooked spaghetti; chopped fresh basil; grated Parmesan cheese
list end
Instructions
SLOW COOKER:
list of 2 items
1. Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and beef
to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off the fat.
2. Transfer beef mixture to a slow cooker. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, chili powder and red wine. Cover and cook on LOW for about 6-8
hours. Season with sugar (optional), salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with cooked spaghetti and garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
list end
STOVETOP:
list of 2 items
1. Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and beef
to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off the fat.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, chili powder and red wine. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2-3 hours. Season with sugar (optional),
salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with cooked spaghetti and garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
list end
Recipe Notes
COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:
list of 6 items
• While my mom has always prepared this meat sauce with ground beef, you can substitute Italian sausage for half (or all) of the beef called for. If you
want a spaghetti meat sauce with ground turkey, simply substitute 2 lbs. of ground turkey for the ground beef.
• For an even lighter option, try serving your meat sauce over zucchini noodles.
• My mom makes her spaghetti meat sauce with mushrooms, so feel free to add sliced mushrooms to your pot! I omitted them from my recipe because my kids
prefer the sauce without the mushrooms.
• I like the rich flavor of the spaghetti meat sauce with red wine. Don't worry -- the alcohol cooks off! That said, if you would rather not use wine in
this recipe, you can substitute with an equal amount of beef broth.
• I list "sugar" as an optional ingredient. Sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes, so I typically include about 1-2 teaspoons (to taste) when I'm
making a pot of sauce.
• When cooking the sauce on the stovetop, be careful to simmer the sauce over very low heat. Stir occasionally, as well. This will prevent any scorching
in the bottom of your pot.
list end
Can you freeze Spaghetti Meat Sauce?
Yes! This is a perfect freezer meal! The recipe yields a large batch, so store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How long can Spaghetti Meat Sauce last in the fridge?
The meat sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Spaghetti Meat Sauce {Slow Cooker or Stovetop}
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup)
Calories 128 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 310mg13%
Potassium 669mg19%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 685IU14%
Vitamin C 13mg16%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 3.3mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
From the seasoned mom
_._,_._,_
