4.8 from 30 votes
Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce
A good marinara sauce is an essential for everyone. I love this one because you just dump the ingredients into a slow cooker then leave it to work it's magic. The slow cooking caramelises the sugar in the tomato and creates a depth of flavour you will never get from store bought pasta sauce.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 127 kcal
Course:
Main Course , Condiments
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 2 cans (800g/28oz each can) crushed tomatoes (see notes)
- 1 can (170 g / 6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 medium brown onion (or white or yellow), diced
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 bay leaves (dried or fresh)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (or honey)
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Set for 6 to 8 hours on low.
- Optional step: Remove bay leaves, then use a handheld blender to puree until smooth (or to your liking).
- Cool before refrigerating or freezing.
Cup of Yum
To use for pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add pasta.
- Heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic and diced onion, cook until translucent then add 2 cups of Marinara Sauce per 500g/1lb of dried pasta.
- Bring sauce to rapid simmer, then add pasta (cooked to just before al dente).
- Add 1/4 cup of pasta water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta.
- Serves 4 hungry people or 6 normal servings.
Notes
- I like my marinara sauce smooth so I whizz it up with a hand held blender once it's finished cooking. Because I whizz it up, I can use either crushed or diced tomato. But if you don't plan to puree it, I strongly recommend using crushed rather than diced tomato because otherwise the sauce will be quite chunky - in my personal opinion, it is too chunky which means it doesn't coat the pasta as evenly and also doesn't spread as well for things like lasagna and cannelloni.
- This sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 week or freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Serving
331g
Calories
127cal
(6%)
Carbohydrates
25.9g
(9%)
Protein
5.5g
(11%)
Fat
2.5g
(4%)
Sodium
610mg
(25%)
Potassium
1019mg
(29%)
Fiber
6.7g
(27%)
Sugar
1.9g
(4%)
Vitamin A
2300IU
(46%)
Vitamin C
42.1mg
(47%)
Calcium
110mg
(11%)
Iron
4.5mg
(25%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 127
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 331g | |
| Calories | 127cal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 25.9g | 9% |
| Protein | 5.5g | 11% |
| Fat | 2.5g | 4% |
| Sodium | 610mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 1019mg | 22% |
| Fiber | 6.7g | 27% |
| Sugar | 1.9g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 2300IU | 46% |
| Vitamin C | 42.1mg | 47% |
| Calcium | 110mg | 11% |
| Iron | 4.5mg | 25% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.