Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

This recipe creates a rich and flavorful bolognese sauce perfect for serving over pasta. The slow cooker allows the flavors to develop for a satisfying and easy meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cooking Guide:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
2. Add ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
3. Transfer the browned meat and vegetables to the slow cooker. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine (if using), beef broth, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
5. After cooking, stir in Parmesan cheese (if using). Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Tips:

• For a richer flavored sauce, you can brown the ground beef with Italian sausage instead. Simply remove the sausage from the skillet after browning and crumble it back in before transferring everything to the slow cooker.
• Don’t skip the browning step! Browning the meat and vegetables adds depth of flavor to the sauce.
• If your sauce seems too thin after cooking, remove the lid and cook on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
• This sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Serve the bolognese sauce over cooked pasta, such as spaghetti, fettuccine, or lasagna noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley or grated Parmesan cheese (optional).