Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Name: Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 570 min
Total time: 585 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 1/2 kg lean minced beef; 6 rashers smoked bacon rashers; 4 onions, finely chopped; 3 carrots, finely chopped; 4 celery sticks, finely chopped; 500 g mushrooms, sliced; 8 cloves garlic, crushed; 4 400g cans chopped tomatoes; 6 tbsp tomato puree; 4 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs; 2 bay leaves; 250 ml red wine; 4 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 to taste salt and black pepper; 1200 g cooked spaghetti; 120 g Parmesan cheese

This slow cooker bolognese is rich, hearty, and deeply savory with beef, smoky bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, and red wine. It is perfect for feeding a crowd, batch cooking, or stocking the freezer for easy pasta nights.

Servings12 Portions

Prep Time15 Mins

Cook Time570 Mins

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

lean minced beef
0.5 kg
smoked bacon rashers
6 rashers
onions, finely chopped
4
carrots, finely chopped
3
celery sticks, finely chopped
4
mushrooms, sliced
500 g
garlic, crushed
8 cloves
chopped tomatoes
4 400g cans
tomato puree
6 tbsp
olive oil
4 tbsp
dried mixed herbs
2 tbsp
bay leaves
2
red wine
250 ml
red wine vinegar
4 tbsp
sugar
1 tbsp
salt and black pepper
1 to taste
cooked spaghetti
1200 g
Parmesan cheese
120 g

Step-by-Step Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chopped bacon and minced beef in batches, breaking up the meat as it cooks, then transfer each batch to the slow cooker.

Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, dried herbs, bay leaves, red wine, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker. Stir well, cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Remove the lid, switch the slow cooker to High, and cook for about 1 hour more, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Discard the bay leaves, taste, and adjust the seasoning.

Serve the bolognese over hot cooked spaghetti with grated or shaved Parmesan on top.

Chef's Tips

Brown the beef in batches so it sears instead of steaming; this gives the sauce a richer flavor. Red wine adds depth, but you can replace it with beef stock if preferred. Leftover bolognese keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.