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spaghetti bolognese sprinkled with Parmesan in cream bowl

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Julia Frey of Vikalinka
Make the best bolognese sauce by slowly simmering beef with a bit of seasoning, plump tomatoes, celery, carrots, garlic and onions. Hours in your slow cooker produce amazing flavour with minimum effort.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 155 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 strips of bacon/50g bacon or pancetta, chopped optional
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 400g/14oz canned chopped tomatoes
  • 500ml/2 cups tomato passata/crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 lbs extra-lean ground beef

Instructions
 

  • In a frying pan cook cubed pancetta or bacon until crispy. Remove to a plate.
  • In the same frying pan brown ground beef over medium heat with salt and pepper until cooked all the way through.
  • To the slow cooker add diced onion, carrot, celery, minced garlic, bacon, canned tomatoes, basil and oregano, 1 tsp salt and cooked ground beef. Stir to combine.
  • Cook on low for 8 hours. At the end of cooking time taste and add more salt if necessary.
  • Serve with pasta and parmesan cheese.

*Note: This sauce will get thicker the next day.

    Notes

    You can also make this sauce in your Instant Pot. 
    Follow the recipe as written but use the Saute function on your Instant Pot for browing the bacon and beef. 
    After step 3 Pressure Cook on High for 30 minutes. Then quick release pressure. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 155kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 16gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 878mgPotassium: 627mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2808IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword bolognese sauce, slow cooker bolognese sauce
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!