Crock Pot Meaty Pasta Sauce
In our house, we’re big on weekend cooking. My kids love helping out and I find that if I make a few recipes on Saturday or Sunday to store in the fridge or freezer, I have a lot less cooking to do during the week when life gets overwhelming. That doesn’t mean that we spend the entire weekend in the kitchen. Far from it. Our recipes have to be quick and easy so we can get out and do other things together. I treasure our weekends because they often feel like the only time we can just relax and play, enjoying our favorite activities and not being on a schedule.
Times like this are when my crock pot is my best friend because it assures that I need not spend a moment more than necessary in the kitchen. Chloe helps me wash the veggies, Kenya and I chop them, I sauté the meat and we all toss everything in the pot together. That’s it. When we come home from our adventures at the end of the day, dinner is all ready….with plenty leftover for the week ahead. Don’t forget to double, especially for recipes like this one. Store what you don’t eat in dated single or multiple-serving containers in the freezer and all you have to do on school nights is defrost and reheat and your homemade meal is done within minutes. One more reason to live for the weekends!
Crock Pot Meaty Pasta Sauce (Serves 6)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
1 Lb Lean Ground Beef
2 Tsp Kosher Salt, divided
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Cup Water
1-28 oz Can Diced Tomato
1-15 oz Can Tomato Puree
1 Cup Carrots, grated
1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
2 Tbsp Dried Italian Herbs
1 Bay Leaf
1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium sauté pan and sauté onions for 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and 1 tsp of salt and sauté for 4 more minutes, breaking apart the meat as it cooks.
2. Add the sautéed meat and onions to the crock pot.
3. Whisk 2 tbsp of tomato paste in 1 cup of water until the paste dissolves.
4. Add the tomato paste mixture to the pot along with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
5. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
6. Serve over pasta.
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And if I do not have a crockpot..how long should this cook for?
Simmer on very low heat for at least two hours! You don’t want it to be bubbling the entire time, just heating through and “marrying” (small bubbles every now and then is okay). Like Natasha said, the longer the better! The flavors will continue to combine and become deeper the longer it sits on heat.
Crockpots are a godsend for busy busy Moms! Gives our families a good homecooked meal— quickly! And more time to spend with our kids
Great Recipe! I added a cup of celery to mine and some fresh basil at the end. YUM.
Yay! I will make this this weekend thank you. Going to try turkey meat though I think!
Hey Sharon! Just cook on stove for a few hours. The longer the better. The flavors mix. Just simmer on stove top. And remember to drain grease from meat after frying. Don’t add to sauce mixture. Enjoy!
Is tomato puree the same thing as tomato sauce?
They are basically the same consistency, but products labeled “tomato sauce” usually have many things added to it, like sugar. So get the can that is labeled “tomato puree”. It will be in the same aisle next to all the other canned tomato products!
Tomato puree I believe is thicker than tomato sauce.
Great recipe! I’ll be trying this for sure.
great minds think alike… just made a very similar version of this yesterday, only I use italian sausage, and I added an onion, lots of garlic, and celery. It was my first time making it in my crockpot, and it turned out amazing… even better today as leftovers
I have not had good luck finding a reliable crock pot; temperature settings aren’t accurate, large crack in the insert, etc. Is there a certain manufacturer/model you would recommend? Anyone have one that has worked well? Thanks so much!
This slow cooker was given to me as a gift by my parents. I absolutely LOVE it! http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-deluxe-slow-cooker-with-aluminum-insert/
Catherine, this is random, but where did you get the red and orange forks in that picture?! I have been looking for some just like that, but can’t find them!
Lauren
Aren’t they so cute?! I got them from a store in LA called Yolk. http://www.shopyolk.com/
Thanks! They are SO cute… and a kid could actually use them. Why are other kid’s forks so dull?!
This was delish! We had it last night and I made a double batch and froze some for a day when I need a quick meal:-)
Made it tonight it was Ok
I made this last night and it was yummy!!!! Mine turned out a little watery. After reading some of the comments, I used tomato sauce instead of tomato puree. I’m thinking that could be the reason why.
Catherine,
I want to use fresh tomatoes, instead of the canned dice tomatoes. Can you please tell me how much would I substitute it with and also, if it requires more stock/liquid with it. Thanks, and your reponse is greatly appreciated.
One 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes comes out to about 3 cups of tomatoes and juice. Cut your fresh tomatoes (or quickly pulse in a blender or food processor) to the size you want them. Add them with all their juice to the recipe! If you use all the juice that comes from cutting the tomatoes you shouldn’t have to use any extra liquid.
I am trying to cut red meat out from our diet due to my husbands health problems. Would this recipe work if I substituted ground turkey for the beef?
Yes it would work! Ground turkey will have a slightly different texture and flavor since they are different animals, but it’ll work.
I just made this and it was so good! My 3 yo who never eats carrots gobbled this up. I couldn’t find tomato puree either so I bought a 26.46 oz box of Pomi Strained Tomatoes and used the whole thing. I omitted the tomato paste and water combo to make up for adding the extra liquid. It was nice and thick and there was plenty leftover to freeze for another dinner. Thank you! Please keep the slow cooker recipes coming! I love having done the dishes earlier in the day!
i always put 1-2 acorn squash in my pasta sauce, gives it a creamy taste
This was soo delicious, I loved it!