Easy dinner recipes are my specialty, and this crock pot spaghetti sauce with meat is just that! Made from scratch with ground beef, diced onions, and canned tomatoes, this slow cooker meat sauce is rich in flavor and perfectly seasoned. It’s great to make in large batches and perfect for freezing!

black slow cooker filled with tomato sauce and spices and ground beef

5 star review

“This is one of my go-to recipes for an easy meal that the kiddos love. We do different noodles to switch it up. The last time I made it was with Rotel diced tomatoes instead of regular (it’s all I had in pantry). You must try it!”

– Amy
See All Reviews »

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce From Scratch is Easier Than You Think!

Rich, meaty and oh-so satisfying, this easy and delicious crock pot spaghetti sauce with meat is about to become your new go-to sauce recipe! And because it simmers low and slow all day, the ground beef becomes ultra tender, rendering it just as tasty as any restaurant sauce you’ve trying. So, if you’re looking for an easy, from scratch meat sauce recipe, this one is for you!

I love making this easy crockpot spaghetti sauce with ground beef or for busy weeknights, as well as for weekends at home, as it’s the essential Sunday sauce to serve over spaghetti or any type of pasta. What’s more, since it has just a few ingredients including on of my go-to ingredients of ground beef (seriously, I use it all the time like in my slow cooker hamburger soup, stuffed shells with meat, and cheesy eggplant casserole), it’s a tasty and economical way to feed a crowd.

Now, like you, I’m always looking for a shortcut easy dinner I ideas, and so tested this recipe without browning the meat first. Without browning, the sauce still tastes very good, but I personally did not enjoy the texture. However, if you don’t mind a softer texture, feel free to skip the browning step for even easier prep!

close up of a pasta with red tomato sauce on top on a white plate

Process, Tips & Variations for Crockpot Meat Sauce

If you’re wondering how to make spaghetti sauce with ground beef in the crock pot, I’ve provided everything you need to know in the recipe card, below. If you want to try your hand at some variations on the recipe, here are some tips.

  • With Sausage: To make this spaghetti sauce with sausage in place of the ground beef, simply swap ½ pound bulk Italian sausage for ½ pound ground beef.
  • With Prepared Fresh or Frozen Meatballs: substitute 1 pound prepared fresh or frozen meatballs for the ground beef or in addition to it. 
  • Adding Red Wine: If you’d like to add red wine to this spaghetti sauce, add ¼ cup to the pan after the ground beef has browned. Allow the wine to reduce slightly, then add the mixture to the slow cooker and proceed with the recipe as written.
  • Adding Uncooked Noodles: I don’t recommend adding uncooked noodles to the slow cooker in this recipe, as they will likely come out gummy and unevenly cooked.
black slow cooker pot filled with tomato sauce with a wooden spoon

Key Ingredients & Substitution Notes

  • Ground beef: The type of ground beef is up to you, either a 95% lean ground beef or traditional 80% lean ground beef will work. The extra fat from an 80% lean ground beef will lend extra flavor, but if you prefer leaner the long, slow cook time will still yield a delicious, tender result.
  • Onion: The onion adds so much flavor to homemade tomato sauce. But if you don’t like or can’t eat onions, feel free to skip them in this recipe.
  • Tomato paste: Don’t skip the tomato paste, as it’s what allows the sauce to thicken in the slow cooker.
  • Olive oil: I like the flavor of olive oil best in this recipe. But any neutral oil will work in this soup, such as avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola.
  • Honey: The natural sweetness of the honey can balance out the acidity of the tomatoes for an extra delicious sauce. You can skip it if you want to keep this recipe vegan and whole30 friendly.

Tip: If you prefer the convenience of using a jar of spaghetti sauce in this recipe, you can use 1 (24-oz) jar of marinara sauce in place of the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, herbs and spices.

spoonful of crockpot spaghetti sauce with beef in a black slow cooker pot

Uses + Storage

This slow cooker spaghetti sauce makes sauce for 1 pound of dry pasta, cooked, so serve it over cooked spaghetti or any other shape of pasta you like. You can also use any extra sauce to make an easy lasagna my famous stuffed shells with meat!

Homemade spaghetti sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container. This sauce also freezes beautifully, either in a gallon ziplock bag, or individually in mason jars. You can store it in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months.

close up of crockpot spaghetti sauce on top of pasta and a white plate

This Recipe Is…

spoonful of crockpot spaghetti sauce with beef in a black slow cooker pot
5 stars (4 ratings)

Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce (w/ Ground Beef!)

by Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 8 minutes
Easy dinner recipes are my specialty, and this crock pot spaghetti sauce with meat is just that! Made from scratch with ground beef, diced onions, and canned tomatoes, this slow cooker meat sauce is rich in flavor and perfectly seasoned. It’s great to make in large batches and perfect for freezing!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon no-salt added Italian seasoning
  • 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

To Add at The End

  • 1 tablespoon honey, optional

Equipment

Instructions 

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • To a large pan or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3-4 minutes or until softened.
  • Add the beef, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and stir to break the meat apart. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Optional: Drain off excess fat and discard.
  • Add the cooked meat and onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring to combine.
  • Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Do not remove the lid during the cooking process.
  • Uncover and add the honey if using. Stir and taste, adding additional salt if desired.
  • Serve over 1 pound cooked spaghetti or noodles of choice.

Notes

  • For more tips, ingredients & substitutions, see blog post above. Nutrition information calculated with lean ground beef.
Course: Dressings & Sauces
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 635mg, Potassium: 232mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 9IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition disclaimer
Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

Share + Save this Recipe