Ingredients
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 onion, diced
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1 pound lean ground beef (90/10 recommended)
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1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
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2 tablespoons tomato paste
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1 (14–15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
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1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree
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2 carrots, finely chopped
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1 red bell pepper, diced
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1 teaspoon onion powder
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1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
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1 bay leaf
Instructions
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Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes, until softened.
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Add the ground beef and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for another 4 minutes, breaking the meat apart as it browns. Stir in the red bell pepper and sauté for 2–3 more minutes.
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Transfer the sautéed mixture to the crock pot.
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Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, tomato puree, carrots, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian herbs, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
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Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours.
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Remove the bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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Serve over cooked pasta or use in any recipe that calls for meat sauce.
Notes
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- Double the Batch: This meaty pasta sauce freezes like a dream. I always stash a few single or family-size portions in the freezer for those nights when I just can’t deal with cooking. It’ll keep well for up to 3 months—just defrost in your microwave (or over stove top), reheat, and dinner’s done.
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- Don’t Skip the Sauté: Browning the beef before tossing it into the crock pot adds so much flavor. If your slow cooker has a sauté function, even better—just cook everything right in the pot, then add the rest of the ingredients.
- Let It Simmer: The longer this sauce cooks, the more delicious it gets. Letting it go low and slow gives you that rich, slow-simmered flavor without standing over the stove all day. It turns into the kind of sauce that clings to any pasta you throw at it—in the best way.
