Cookbook Meals

Simple Easy Recipes with Step-by-Step Photos

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Entrée
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Sausage
      • Seafood
        • Cod
        • Scallops
        • Shrimp
        • Tilapia
      • Turkey
      • Vegetarian
    • Salad
    • Side Dish
      • Broccoli
      • Broccoli Rabe
      • Brussels Sprouts
      • Cabbage
      • Cauliflower
      • Green Beans
      • Peppers
      • Potatoes
      • Spinach
      • Squash
      • Tomatoes
      • Zucchini
    • Slow Cooker
    • Soup
  • Holidays
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Super Bowl
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Saint Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
  • Work With Me
  • FAQs
  • Products I Love
  • My Store

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles

September 14, 2014 by Katie Leave a Comment

I’m breaking out my slow cooker again for an absolutely delicious meat sauce!  It’s so flavorful, and it’s loaded with both ground chuck and hot sausage.  I even snuck a couple of red peppers into it for some added nutrients.  My husband never even noticed them!  This recipe reminded me of my mom’s (and aunts’) meat sauce.  It was that good!

This recipe does require a decent amount of prep before you throw everything into the slow cooker, but believe me, it’s well worth the extra work.  This also make a ton of sauce!  I recommend freezing half of it right off the bat.  (You could always just cur the recipe in half, but who doesn’t want a delicious sauce in their freezer for one of those busy weekday nights?)

I made zucchini noodles instead of pasta and they were perfect.  (I am tempted to make some delicious rigatoni with the sauce I have in the freezer though.  A little pasta never hurt anyone, right?)  Use whatever pasta (or pasta substitute) your heart desires!

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (1)

Start with the meat…

  • Remove 8 hot sausage links from their casings.  (You sweet sausage if you prefer!)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (2)

  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the sausage and 1 pound of ground chuck.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (3)

  • Break the meat up with a wooden spoon.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (4)

  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the meat is browned.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (6)

  • Meanwhile, dice up 2 onions and 2 red peppers, and mince up 7 cloves of garlic.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (5)

  • Once the meat is browned, transfer it to your slow cooker using a slotted spoon so all the fat drains out.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (7)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (11)

  • Discard all the excess fat that remains in your skillet.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (8)

  • Place your skillet back over the heat and add a little EVOO.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (9)

  • Add the diced vegetables and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (10)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (12)

  • Transfer the vegetables to your slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (13)

  • Pour in 3 large cans of crushed tomatoes.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (14)

  • Add 1 small can of tomato paste.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (15)

  • Pour in ½ cup of red wine.  (I used a Malbec because the bottle was already open.)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (16)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (17)

  • Season generously with some coarse kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (18)

  • Sprinkle in a little crushed red pepper flake.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (19)

  • Add some dried thyme.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles

  • Finish with some grated Parmesan cheese.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (21)

  • Stir to combine.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (22)

  • Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (23)

  • Just before the sauce is finished, spiralize 3 zucchini through the shredder blade.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (24)

  • Place the zucchini noodles in a large microwavable bowl.
  • Cover and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes until softened slightly.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (25)

  • Drain the zucchini noodles before serving.

To serve, place some zucchini noodles in the center of your plate.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (26)

Top with lots of the meat sauce.  (Don’t be stingy!  Also, if you are using regular pasta, you may want to toss the pasta with a little sauce before serving and then top it with more sauce once it’s plated.)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (27)

Finish with a little Parmesan.

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (28)

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (29)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (30)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (31)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (32)

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles (33)

 

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles
 
Save Print
Prep time
30 minutes
Cook time
6 hours
Total time
6 hours 30 minutes
 
Author: Katie
Recipe type: Slow Cooker
Serves: zucchini noodles serves 4; pasta sauce serves 16
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground chuck
  • 8 hot Italian sausage links, removed from their casings
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 red peppers, diced
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 7 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 large cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • ½ cup red wine
  • coarse kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 zucchini, spiralized through the shredder blade
Directions
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the ground chuck and sausage meat.
  3. Break the meat up with a wooden spoon.
  4. Cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
  5. Transfer the meat to your slow cooker using a slotted spoon.
  6. Discard the excess fat in the skillet.
  7. Add the olive oil to the same skillet.
  8. Once the oil is hot, add the peppers, onions, and garlic.
  9. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.
  10. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker.
  11. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flake, thyme, and Parmesan cheese to the slow cooker.
  12. Stir well.
  13. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
  14. Just before the sauce is finished, place the zucchini noodles in a microwavable bowl.
  15. Cover and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes.
  16. Drain the zucchini noodles.
  17. Toss the zucchini noodles in the meat sauce and add some extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
This recipe makes a lot of sauce! I recommend freezing half of it.

Adapted from: Jelly Toast Blog
3.2.2708

 

Filed Under: Slow Cooker Tagged With: beef, crockpot, pasta, red pepper, sauce, sausage, slow cooker, slow cooker sundays, spiralized, spiralizer, tomatoes, zucchini

« Grilled Cheese with Arugula and Roasted Peppers
BBQ Chicken Quinoa Casserole and an Announcement! »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  

Blog Search

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Categories

  • Appetizer
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
  • Entrée
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Sausage
    • Seafood
      • Cod
      • Scallops
      • Shrimp
      • Tilapia
    • Turkey
    • Vegetarian
  • Products I Love
  • Salad
  • Sandwich
  • Side Dish
    • Broccoli
    • Broccoli Rabe
    • Brussels Sprouts
    • Cabbage
    • Cauliflower
    • Green Beans
    • Peppers
    • Potatoes
    • Spinach
    • Squash
    • Tomatoes
    • Zucchini
  • Slow Cooker
  • Soup
  • Uncategorized

Archives

Recent Comments

  • Deb on Fried Cabbage
  • Josie on Fried Cabbage
  • Tempting Veggie Tots that Made Cauliflower a Welcomed Visitor - TraveLangs on Cauliflower Tots
  • Uhorkový šalát podľa Číňanov: Je výborný, jemne pikantný a perfektný pre každého, kto chce schudnúť! on Asian Cucumber Salad
  • techlazy.com on Slow Cooker Turkey & Lentil Chili

Latest Posts

cookbookmeals

Katie
My three year old declared this was the worst dinn My three year old declared this was the worst dinner she has ever seen, but the rest of us enjoyed it! 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 One of my go-to meals: sausage, peppers, and onions!  #cantpleasethemall #dinner #sausage #peppers #onions #mashedpotatoes #food #marsalawine #cookbookmeals
Two more recipes from @skinnytaste ‘s #airfryer Two more recipes from @skinnytaste ‘s #airfryer cookbook tonight: baked potatoes and and my spin on her sliders!  Both delicious!  #skinnytasteairfryercookbook #beef #sliders #potatoes #bakedpotatoes #dinner #recipe #lettucebuns #cookbookmeals
Second recipe from @skinnytaste ‘s #airfryer boo Second recipe from @skinnytaste ‘s #airfryer book!  We are two for two!  This Chicken Parmesan Caprese was amazing!  #skinnytaste #skinnytasteairfryer #chicken #dinner #recipe #mozzarella #pesto #balsamicglaze #tomatoes #cookbookmeals
Salad for dinner tonight topped with @aldiusa ‘a Salad for dinner tonight topped with @aldiusa ‘a infamous red bag chicken!  So good!  I cooked the chicken in my #airfryer at 390 degrees for 11 minutes, flipping halfway though. I dressed my salad with @olivegarden ‘a Italian dressing. It was a super quick and satisfying dinner! #dinner #salad #aldiredbagchicken #baggedlettuce #tomatoes #cucumbers #kalamataolives #greenpeppers #mozzarella #cheddar #italiandressing #cookbookmeals
Forgot to take any pictures while I was cooking, b Forgot to take any pictures while I was cooking, but made @lidiabastianich ‘a vodka sauce tonight for the second I#time in two weeks. I remember why this recipe used to be on the regular rotation!  It’s not too creamy or too heavy (like most vodka sauces)! So good!  #lidiabastianich #vodkasauce #pasta #dinner #recipe #rigatoni #pastasauce #cookbookmeals
@skinnytaste ‘s picadillo in the @instantpotoffi @skinnytaste ‘s picadillo in the @instantpotofficial makes stuffed peppers a quick dinner on a weeknight!  #skinnytaste #instantpot #dinner #groundbeef #beef #food #food52 #peppers #stuffedpeppers #olives #rice #brownrice #cheddarcheese #picadilla #cookbookmeals
Banana Swirl from @danieltigertv is a kid favorite Banana Swirl from @danieltigertv is a kid favorite!  Something magical happens when you throw a few frozen bananas into a food processor: it turns into ice cream!  The perfect #afterschoolsnack !  #danieltiger #bananaswirl #banana #kidsnacks #cookbookmeals
Sweet and sour chicken tonight using a sauce packe Sweet and sour chicken tonight using a sauce packet from @kikkomanusa !  It was a hit with the whole family!  #sweetandsourchicken #rice #asian #dinner #food #cooking #kikkoman #peppers #chicken #cookbookmeals
Gave some stale bread new life today with a delici Gave some stale bread new life today with a delicious #panzanella !  Recipe posted below!  #dinner #salad #bread #tomato #cucumber #redonion #freshmozzarella #lemon #cookbookmeals 

1 loaf stale French bread, cubed
1 cucumber, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Fresh mozzarella, cubed
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of two lemons
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine bread and vegetables in a large bowl.
Whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper together. 
Pour over the vegetables. 
Toss to combine. 
Add the cheese and gently toss again. 
Let sit for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, before serving.
New Year’s was different this year, but we still New Year’s was different this year, but we still enjoyed delicious food!  #happynewyear #2021 #koreanfood #delicious #cookbookmeals
Taco night! Used my @instantpotofficial to make b Taco night!  Used my @instantpotofficial to make beef and bean tacos using partially frozen beef in no time!  #tacos #beef #blackbeans #instantpot #dinner #cookbookmeals
My 2020 #topnine ! Surprisingly, there are two de My 2020 #topnine !  Surprisingly, there are two desserts in it!  #imacooknotabaker #cookbookmeals
Used my new #skinnytasteairfryercookbook this morn Used my new #skinnytasteairfryercookbook this morning!  Made super crispy and delicious home fries and served them with leftover over ham omelettes!  Yum! @skinnytaste #breakfast #airfryer #homefries #potatoes #peppers #onions #omelette #eggs #ham #cookbookmeals
My girls were so excited to give these Christmas o My girls were so excited to give these Christmas ornaments to their teachers today!  Thanks @giftsbygoodhart !  #smallbusiness #shopsmall #giftsbygoodhart #christmasornament #teachergifts
Haven’t made this one in a while, but it totally Haven’t made this one in a while, but it totally hit the spot on the chilly night!  #cheesybeefgoulash #beef #dinner #cheddar #goulash #onion #peppers #dicedtomatoes #elbowmacaroni #delicious #food #skinnytaste #skinnytasteoneanddone @skinnytaste #cookbookmeals
Pretending it’s warm out right now! #tomato #cu Pretending it’s warm out right now!  #tomato #cucumber #salad #tomatocucumbersalad #balsamicglaze #cookbookmeals
If you live in north Jersey, you MUST try the pizz If you live in north Jersey, you MUST try the pizza from @tavolino_nj !  It is amazing!  #tavolino_nj #pizza #smokyroni
Happy thanksgiving from our family to yours! 🦃 Happy thanksgiving from our family to yours! 🦃
Soooo comforting! Tomato-Spinach Tortellini Soup Soooo comforting!  Tomato-Spinach Tortellini Soup from @skinnytaste !  #skinnytasteoneanddone #instantpot @instantpotofficial #dinner #soup #tomatosoup #tortellini #spinach #cookbookmeals
Made @alyssa_therecipecritic ‘s Korean Ground Be Made @alyssa_therecipecritic ‘s Korean Ground Beef Stir Fry tonight!  It came together so quick and was delicious! #dinner #korean #beef #groundbeef #stirfry #peppers #zucchini #cauliflower #rice #asian #cookbookmeals
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright

All writing and photography is copyright © 2011-2020 by Cookbook Meals unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.

Popular Tags

appetizer Asian beans beef buffalo Burger cheddar cheese chicken crock pot cucumber cuisinart griddler dessert dinner feta foodnetwork.com garlic Greek holiday italian lemon mexican mozzarella onions parmesan pasta peppers rachael ray salad sandwich sausage seafood side dish slow cooker slow cooker sundays soup spinach super bowl tomato tomatoes turkey vegetable vegetarian weight watchers zucchini

Copyright © 2021 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316