Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce [Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce]

Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce is super EASY to make and simmers right in your slow cooker [paid link]. This sauce is low-calorie too, making it a very figure-friendly addition to your weeknight meal plan.

A close-up image of spaghetti and meatballs on a white dish.

What Ingredients are in Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce?

This sauce is rich and delicious with deep, earthy flavor notes from the red wine and can be used on a variety of things like spaghetti and meatballs, Zoodles, pizza, or even to jazz up a bag of frozen ravioli. 

  • Extra virgin olive oil – I use Extra-virgin olive oil because it is an unrefined oil and is the highest-quality olive oil you can buy.
  • Onion – I use sweet white onions, like Vidalia but you can use a Spanish white or yellow onion.
  • Fresh Garlic – I prefer to mince fresh garlic because I feel there is a significant flavor and aromatics loss with jarred garlic.
  • Italian seasoning [paid link] – this is a blend of spices consisting of dried oregano, dried marjoram, dried thyme, dried basil, dried rosemary and dried sage.
  • Red pepper flakes – Increase or decrease these dried pepper flakes to adjust the spice level of your sauce.
  • Red wine – I use sweet red wine but dry red wine is also great in this sauce.
  • Crushed Tomatoes – Since tomatoes are the main ingredient, you want it to shine. Use the best brand you can afford on your budget. I use organic San Marzano Tomatoes [paid link].
  • Diced Tomatoes – Again, use the best brand you can afford on your budget.
  • Salt – I use fine Kosher salt but regular table salt may also be used. Add salt to taste depending on which tomatoes you buy may have salt added.
  • Black pepper – freshly cracked is most flavorful but ground black pepper also works well.

Spaghetti and Meatballs pilled high on a white plate, topped with shredded Parmesan Cheese and torn Basil on a red plaemat with two forks.

 

How Do I Make Slow Cooker Pasta Sauce?

  • Sweat the Vegetables. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.Add garlic, Italian seasoning [paid link], and crushed red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
  • Add the wine. Add wine and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
  • Load the Crock. Carefully pour wine mixture into the slow cooker [paid link] crock. Add crushed and diced tomatoes and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Slow Cook. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
  • Serve. Taste the sauce and add extra seasonings to taste. Serve with meatballs,  over pasta, or as a marinara sauce.
  • Storage. Store any leftover sauce in a container fitted with a lid. Leftover sauce is good in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
    • Alternatively, the sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow sauce to cool completely them pour or ladle the sauce into a zip top bag. Remove excess air and lay flat on a cooking tray to retain flat shape while freezing. Once frozen,  remove the tray and store upright.

Can I omit the Red Wine?

If you prefer, you may omit the red wine and add some water or cooking stock (beef, chicken, or vegetable) in its place. It’s worth noting that the sauce will not carry the same rich earthy tones achieved from the wine.

Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce is really very simple to put together and then simmer while you go about your day!

Slow Cooker Spaghetti sauce

Ronda Eagle | Kitchen Dreaming
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce is very simple to prepare and with this recipe, isn’t a labor of love. It’s super EASY to make and simmers right in the slow cooker [paid link]. This sauce is low-calorie too, making it a very figure-friendly addition to your weeknight meal plan.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 cups
Calories 77 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup Onion chopped fine
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning [paid link] blend [See Note 1]
  • 1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes [See Note 2]
  • 1 cup Sweet red wine [See Note 3]
  • 1 can Crushed Tomatoes , 28-ounces. [See Note 4]
  • 1 can Diced Tomatoes , 28-ounces. [See Note 4]
  • salt and ground black pepper , season to taste

Optional Garnishes:

  • Fresh Basil torn
  • Parmesan Cheese , freshly grated

Instructions
 

  • Sweat the Vegetables. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
    Add garlic, Italian seasoning [paid link], and crushed red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
  • Add the wine. Add wine and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
  • Load the Crock. Carefully pour wine mixture into the slow cooker [paid link] crock. Add crushed and diced tomatoes and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Slow Cook. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
  • Serve. Taste the sauce and add extra seasonings to taste. Serve with meatballs,  over pasta, or as a marinara sauce. [See Note 5 for Storage tips]

Notes

  1. Italian seasoning [paid link] is a blend of spices consisting of dried oregano, dried marjoram, dried thyme, dried basil, dried rosemary and dried sage.
  2. Increase or decrease these dried pepper flakes to adjust the spice level of your sauce.
  3. The red wine may be omitted and an equal amount of water or cooking stock (beef, chicken, or vegetable) in its place. It’s worth noting that the sauce will not carry the same rich earthy tones achieved from the wine.
  4. Since tomatoes are the main ingredient, you want it to shine. Use the best brand you can afford on your budget.
  5. Store any leftover sauce in a container fitted with a lid. Leftover sauce is good in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Alternatively, the sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow sauce to cool completely them pour or ladle the sauce into a zip top bag. Remove excess air and lay flat on a cooking tray to retain flat shape while freezing. Once frozen,  remove the tray and store upright.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 77kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 144mgPotassium: 324mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 195IUVitamin C: 11.3mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

5 thoughts on “Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce [Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce]”

  1. Do you cook the sauce separately before Cooking the raw meatballs in it? Or can everything be made at the same time? Hoping to use this recipe for Christmas Eve!

    Reply
  2. So easy to prepare! I didn’t even bother with the stove top and instead just dumped it all into the crock and let it simmer. It was still excellent.

    Reply

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