BEST Spaghetti Meat Sauce (Crock Pot Recipe)

Can you have homemade meat sauce that’s easy to make? You bet you can!

My go-to recipe is adapted from Jim’s Spaghetti House, and it’s a crowd pleaser! It has a hint of heat and a bit of sweet to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.

The slow cooking process means the ingredients have time to blend and marry together so you get deep flavor. And the meat cooks down to a fine texture, meaning it covers your pasta in every nook and cranny!

Spaghetti Sauce for a Crowd

When you’re looking for the perfect dish for a dinner party menu, spaghetti is always a winner. Especially when it’s served with this ground beef meat sauce that’s made from scratch.

One thing that makes this recipe unique (and easy) is that you don’t brown the meat beforehand. Chopping onion is the most work you have to do.

You can get about 12 servings from the recipe as is, but we often cut it in half for family meals. Or you can simply freeze the leftovers for another time.

Why It’s So Good

American meat sauce is similar to traditional Italian bolognese but it’s quicker and easier to prepare, the ingredients are a bit different, and there’s no cream added. Here’s what you’ll love about this restaurant style sauce.

• Freezer friendly.
• Fix it in the morning and be ready to eat in the evening. That means entertaining is easy, even on a weeknight!
• Because it makes a big batch, it’s the perfect meal to serve when you’re hosting a large group.
• Feeds a full house such as overnight guests, Christmas Eve dinner with relatives, or an Italian dinner party.
• It’s a hot and hearty comfort meal.

How to Make Slow Cooker Meat Sauce

My husband grew up in West Virginia where there’s a restaurant called Jim’s Spaghetti House, famous for it’s sauce, and this is a copycat recipe. The thing that makes this sauce unique is the fact that you DO NOT pre-cook the ground beef.

1. You’ll need a 6-quart size slow cooker to fit everything into.
2. Use lean meat since you won’t be able to drain any fat off. I start with 93% lean ground beef.
3. The raw meat is combined with the rest of the ingredients and cooked on low for several hours. This gives a very fine texture to the finished sauce, which we prefer over big chunks of meat using the traditional pre-browning method.
4. Use your hands as tools to completely integrate all the ingredients together until smooth.
5. A little sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce. If you’ve never added sugar to your sauce, whether homemade or jarred, then you are missing out. This is a trick I learned in college. It balances out the acidity of the tomatoes and creates a rich flavor.
6. Serve over your favorite pasta, including spaghetti, pappardelle, tagliatelle, fettuccini, linguini, cheese tortellini, use in lasagna, baked ziti or penne.

How Long to Cook It

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Never cook it on high the whole time.

What to Serve with Spaghetti

• Green salad. My favorite pairing for this is spinach and arugula with tomatoes & goat cheese.
• Parmesan cheese. Grate it fresh from a wedge of parmigiano reggiano, or add a bowl of grated parmesan on the table, with a spoon for serving.
• Bread. Crusty Italian bread, focaccia, sour dough or French baguette are all divine.
• EVOO. Eat pasta like the Italians and drizzle some high quality extra virgin olive oil over the pasta and sauce. It takes it to another level. 
• Texas Pete. My family’s favorite addition is a few drops of Texas Pete on top of our prepared plate. It adds a sweet heat that’s brand specific.
• Red pepper flakes. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes on top for a little zing.
• Cheese board. Put a party cheese board or charcuterie board in the center of the table for a nice complement to the dinner. Or serve charcuterie skewers as an appetizer.
• Fresh crudites platter. For a super easy meal you can place a platter of fresh cut vegetables to go along with the pasta. It’s light, nutritious, and no cooking involved.
• Roasted vegetables. As an alternative to the fresh veggies, you can roast some root vegetables like beets and carrots, or sliced zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, brussels sprouts, or broccoli.