My husband always laughs at me when I post recipes on my blog, because in all honesty I go into a trance like state when I’m cooking. I just pick up stuff, give it a sniff and if it smells like it will go good I throw it in. I need to get better at writing these recipes down so I don’t forget what I did, but this crock pot marinara is so easy to make it’s almost impossible to mess up and will make your house smell incredible all day long while it’s cooking!
The beautiful thing about this sauce it’s the “base” to so many other variations so when I make it, I make a ton and freeze most for a later date. You can turn it into a spicy arrabbiata by adding a good amount of red pepper flakes, a meat sauce by adding ground meat of your choice, a pink sauce by adding a splash of cream and grated cheese, or do what I do and throw some meatballs and sausage into it while it’s cooking for a super delicious and hearty meal!
Here’s what you’ll need…
- a crockpot 🙂
- olive oil
- 3-4 good sized garlic cloves (chopped)
- 1 medium-large yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 28oz. can of whole plum tomatoes
- 1 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of red wine (choose something you like to drink or omit this and just add 1/2 cup water)
- splash of balsamic vinegar (about a tablespoon)
- pinch of raw sugar or sweetener of your choice (about a tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon of dried italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
- fresh italian flat leaf parsley (about 1/4 cup-chopped)
- **Optional** 10 slices of pepperoni finely diced
TWO STEPS….don’t blink…
- In a sauté pan on the stove sweat your chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until they begin to get tender. (If you are adding meatballs and sausage to this in the crockpot, you also will want to brown those in the sauté pan on each side. Don’t worry about cooking them through, they’ll finish in the crockpot.)
- Now dump everything into your crock pot, cover and cook of medium heat for 6-8 hours.
Tada!
Now this recipe makes enough sauce for about 4-6 people depending on how saucy you like your spaghetti, but like I said above I usually make a ton! So feel free to double, triple, quadruple the recipe if you like! It will still turn out absolutely perfect every time!
Talk to you soon friends, take care!
XO
Libby says
This is something worth trying. I love to make spaghetti sauce/marinara sauce. Making it in the crockpot would be a wonderful idea. Thanks!
Libby recently posted…Green Tropical Smoothie {Recipe}
Karen says
I have made a sauce very much like this and it is delicious – I see you have yours in canning jars – do you can it and if so how do you process
Christine says
I don’t properly can them. I know you have to boil them in water to get all the air out. I use the jars to hold them in the fridge. It works great but not for a very long term storage solution like canning 🙂
Ginny says
I think you could can this the way I can my tomatoes. Have everything scalding hot and put in jars and seal. I do not water bath and I have canned fruit and tomatoes this way for 60 years and the only thing I ever lost was ajar that did not seal which was very seldom. When it doesn’t seal I use a new lid and heat it and reseal. You would probably leave any meat products out and add them when you get ready to use the sauce.
Bert hatter says
In order to water bath can do you not use the pepperoni. I love to can but won’t do anything that requires a pressure canner
Christine says
The pepperoni is completely optional! You definitely don’t have to add it if you want to can the sauce.
Terri McHugh says
This was such an easy recipe! I used chunks of fresh tomatoes (combo of peeled Roma’s and slicers & no meat) to make this. I filled my large crockpot with the tomatoes and then doubled the rest of the ingredients. I started it in the morning, and cooked it on high for about 4 hrs then put on low heat to finish cooking until the next day. (Stir occasionally & crack the lid open to keep it from scorching and to let extra moisture escape). I canned/processed 20 min for pts and 35 min for qts.
Christine says
Sounds fabulous, Terri! Enjoy your sauce!