Tasty Thursday: Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

Since I started making this sauce over two years ago, I have bought ONE jar of store spaghetti sauce. That was all it took to remind me not to even bother with the stuff in the stores anymore!

This makes a huge batch and is easily doubled. I usually get three portions from one pot. I use one that day, and freeze the other two. It freezes beautifully and is so versatile. I use it for your basic spaghetti, stuffed shells, baked ziti, sauce and meatballs, with mushrooms, without, veggie spaghetti etc etc. I just make it pictured above, ladle out a portion then add whatever I want with it. This time, I added ground turkey and mushrooms and served it over spaghetti squash. 

This is one of those recipes I got somewhere else but I've changed it up so much that I call it my own now, right down to modifying it for the crockpot. I used to make this stove top but there were so many steps and I would put of making more because it was so time consuming. But when I was pregnant with my last little guy, I was so sick all the time I tried my crockpot out of pure desperation in an effort to save energy. I make it in the crockpot every time now and I didn't lose one bit of the taste payoff.

I don't know if the hardest part of the recipe is peeling all the garlic, or opening the cans. :o) I used to cut the onions and garlic by hand but started using my food processor because I am always trying to save time. 

Enjoy!

Rebecca's Basic Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

1 large onion

about 10 or so cloves of garlic

12 oz tomato paste

30 oz tomato sauce

28 oz crushed tomatoes

15 oz diced tomatoes (optional)

3 cups beef broth

2 tbs fennel seeds

1 tbs Italian seasoning

1 tbs Essence of Emeril 

Large bunch of fresh basil, torn. *

Dice up the onions and garlic (food processor, pulsed several times is great). Add remaining ingredients, saving the fresh basil for last. *dried basil can be used if you don't have fresh. Use about 2 tbs and put it in at the beginning. 

Tip: Tomato paste is a pain to get out. The easiest way, is to open up both end of the can, carefully remove one end and push the other one thru so that the paste comes out. 

You just put it all in the crockpot, except for the fresh basil- that goes in at the end. Let it cook on low for 6-8 hours. Using the liners makes it that much easier too.

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