Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (w/ Meat!)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Dec 6, 2021 (last updated Dec 15, 2025) 
Easy dinner recipes are my specialty, and this slow cooker spaghetti sauce with meat is just that! Made from scratch with ground beef, diced onions, and canned tomatoes, this meat sauce is rich in flavor and perfectly seasoned. It’s great to make in large batches and perfect for freezing!
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
Crockpot 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), 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!
Key Ingredients & Testing 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.
- Tomato paste: Don’t skip the tomato paste! It helps the sauce to thicken in the slow cooker.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (w/ Meat!)
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
- Honey: The natural sweetness of the honey can balance out the acidity of the tomatoes for an extra delicious sauce. You can use sugar instead, or skip it.
Delicious and easy! This recipe is my go-to for busy weeknights and I know it’s a hit when my husband and kid go for seconds.
Kelli, love it when a recipe garners seconds! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Hi, this came out good and easy to make! Would you suggest another tablespoon of honey for more sweetness?
So glad you enjoyed this one, thanks for the tip and the 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). It was even better than the original, with an extra kick of flavor. I’ll always make it with Rotel now. You must try it!
Amy, so happy to hear this one is on regular rotation, and I love the idea of adding tomatoes with green chili to give this one a kick. Such a great tip! Thanks for sharing and for leaving a review. 🙂
Our whole family loves this recipe. It reminded me of my grandmas recipe, but healthier (because she used a lot of ketchup lol). The slow cooker method made the meat so tender. I did increase the italian seasoning to 2.5t (could have probably just done a tablespoon), used real garlic instead of powder, and we did try the tablespoon of honey and liked it!
So happy to hear you enjoyed this one, Ashely, thanks so much for sharing your tips and leaving a review!