Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce for Pasta
Slow cooker bolognese sauce is the perfect crowning element for a spag bol or classic lasagna; this recipe creates more than enough to freeze.
All you have to do is chop some ingredients, brown them and throw them in the slow cooker, then kick back and relax!
Crock Pot Bolognese Sauce
Everyone loves a good bowl of spaghetti bolognese, and I'm no different, but it gives me a challenge.
I cook for two and am not usually one for "leftovers"; I love to cook, but bolognese is one of the few dishes I make an exception for.
But a good ragu alla bolognese needs good slow cooking, and to do that with minced meat, you need a body of ingredients.
In order to do that, I make my bolognese sauce in the slow cooker or crockpot! Don't worry, I have provided stovetop instructions too.
It makes a wonderfully rich and thick sauce that is just as good stirred through pasta, dolloped on pasta or even in a classic lasagna bolognese.
It is an exceptionally meat-rich ragu that is built on classic Italian recipes; it contains very little tomato and has quite a lot in common with both my duck ragu and wild boar ragu recipes.
I finish it off with milk... yes, milk! It is a very traditional approach and gives the sauce a wonderfully smooth finish.
A bonus of making so much of this recipe is that you get to try it at its best. The flavours mature with time, so eating this on day 2 or 3 is a real treat.
It also freezes really well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this bolognese sauce best cooked in the slow cooker or on the stovetop?
I almost always cook it in the slow cooker; the main reason is that it is a much more energy-efficient way of cooking.
Stovetop cooking for me involves an induction hob. Whilst they are great at quick and hot cooking, they are distinctly average at low and slow.
I have provided instructions for cooking this bolognese sauce recipe on both the stovetop and in the slow cooker.
Do I have to brown the meat and soften the vegetables?
For the best results, yes!
How would I freeze this?
I portion it up in bags with enough for two people and then flatten it. It will last for 6 months in the freezer.
Do I have to defrost it before cooking?
I never bother, I cook it boil-in-the-bag style, yes, you read that correctly.
Bring a pan of water to a boil, drop a leaf steamer in the base, drop in the bag and cook it until it is piping hot. I do this because it reduces the amount of evaporation when reheating, making sure the sauce remains juicy.
Just make sure you use a heavy-duty freezer bag.
Does the size of a slow cooker really matter?
Yes, cooking in a slow cooker relies on having a reasonable volume of ingredients in the pot. If you do not have enough, you will burn or dry out the food, even in a crockpot!
Serving Suggestions
A bolognese sauce is very closely associated with pasta. We all know spaghetti bolognese, right?
Well, traditionally, it would not be served with spaghetti. This is because it does not offer enough surface area for the sauce to cling to.
Now, if you have a really saucy tomato bolognese, then you are good to go with your spag bol!
This slow cooker ragu alla bolognese sauce needs more "real estate", traditionally that would be fettuccini or tagliatelle.
It also should be combined with the pasta, as far as I am concerned. But you go right ahead and dollop it on top if that is your style.
I also usually add basil and freshly grated Parmesan because I can!
As for sides, who can resist a nice slice of cheesy garlic bread... right?
You can even use small amounts of bolognese sauce to stuff air fryer arancini!
Equipment Used
I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I believe that they will make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan or skillet, try not to use nonstick if you can.
- Slow cooker, I use a 3-3.5 litre slow cooker.
- Sharp kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g Minced Beef 17oz
- 400 g Minced Pork 14oz
- 150 g Smoked Streaky Bacon 5oz
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 1 Small-Medium Carrot 100g
- 2 Medium Celery Sticks 100g
- 50 g Butter 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- 375 ml Red Wine ½ of a Bottle
- 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 125 ml Full Fat Milk ½ Cup
Instructions
- Cut the bacon into a 7-10mm dice.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a frying pan (not non-stick) over a high heat and add the bacon and minced pork, and cook for two minutes.
- Add the beef to the pork mix and cook until it starts to caramelise, stirring occasionally. This will take around 10-12 minutes.
- After cooking, season well with salt and pepper, then add the bay leaves and transfer to a slow cooker.
- Cut your celery, carrot and onion into a uniform fine dice approximately 3mm (⅛") in size.
- Return the pan to the heat and add the butter. When melted, add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over a medium heat until softened, this will take about 10-12 minutes. Do not colour the vegetables.
- Turn the heat up to high and add the tomato puree and red wine, cook for a couple of minutes, mixing well. Add this mix to the slow cooker and mix well.
- Add the lid and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours.
- Pour in the milk and continue to cook on for a further 45-60 minutes.
Stove Top Instructions:
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan (not non-stick) over medium/high heat. When it is hot, add the bacon and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the butter, and when it begins to foam, add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until softened, this will take about 10-12 minutes. Do not colour the vegetables.
- Turn the heat up and add the minced pork and beef, and cook until well-browned, stirring occasionally; this will take 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the add the tomato puree and red wine.
- Cook for 5 minutes before adding a lid, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 90 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in the milk, return the lid and cook for another 30 minutes.
Wanted to make a different bolognese to the one I’ve been making for years. This didn’t disappoint. I added Italian Sausage mince instead of pork and combined with beef mince. If was sensational!
I'll let you into a wee secret, celeriac is there as we have failed to grow celery for the last 7 years so it came about by necessity but it works really really well!
I'm making this very soon. I don't know when I'll have the energy to make a meal after vacation, so I love that it's made in the slow cooker!
This is perfect for you then, 10 portions of bolognese sauce to do with what you wish whilst recovering from the post holiday slump 😉
Interesting question, I do lots of preserving but have never tried it with any meat based recipes... Do come back and let me know if you do any experimenting 😀
Why thank you *whisper mode on*I never use a tripod despite singing their praises*whisper mode off*... I shoot with strobes so my shutter speed is irrelevant and I have my fearless stunt wifey as my able assistant 😀
Thanks Shiho, I always add a little sweetness to anything that contains tomatoes and it is usually in the form of honey if we have some good stuff in the cupboards 🙂
If I had my way everything that needs frying would be done in bacon fat, alas not always an option 😀
My mouth started watering when I saw this post! Haha oh my. Definitely trying this in the near future, I use my crock pot for everything.
I love love love my crock pot and am always looking for new recipes for it. This fits the bill!
It is always celebration time when I can get back to some slow cooked loveliness in Autumn and Winter, slow cookers do it slow well, I'm with you on the admiration of my favourite piece of kitchen gadgetry 😀
I love to use my slow cooker...it's so great to come home to a meal already cooked! I cant wait to try this Bolognese! Now off to find fusilli...:)
Thanks Paige, I love cooking this it is my favourite 'lazy' day big pot cook up, you can do so much with the leftovers 🙂
This has to be the most amazing looking crockpot recipe I've ever laid eyes on--- seriously gorgeous! I've pinned to make hopefully soon!
Thank you so much Emily, kind words indeed 😀 I hope you love it as much as we do.
This looks so delicious! Love the addition of the bacon! And especially love that's it's made in a slow cooker!!
Bolognese without a bit of bacon is always a little flat to me, however I think bacon makes everything better 😉
Batch cooking in the crock pot! That's what I do too... since there's just the two of us now. Problem is, I sometimes don't think ahead to freezing part of it and we end up eating the same food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for days!
Haha, I used to have the problem too but have started to get a little more disciplined with meal planning and it has definitely helped out on that front 🙂
I am so hungry looking at this...love that curly pasta. I need to try this recipe out. My son is a huge meat sauce eater.
The pasta is a new one on me too Sandi, but it has a great body so holds up really well to the rich meat sauce... The pasta is called Malfadine, definitely see if you can hunt some down I love it 🙂
Looks delicious! I'm always looking for meals that I can cook ahead and freeze for weeknight dinners. Definitely giving this a try 🙂
Thank you Tara, this really is a great freezer meal, I find slow cooker meals are great for this, there is only the two of us so using a slow cooker for two can be a bind but by using it to create batch cooked bases for meals that can be frozen is perfect.
I love using my slow cooker whenever I can. Looks like a beautiful, full bodied sauce. Love the Parmesan cheese action in the photo 🙂
Thank you Stacey, I find the slow cook shin of beef adds so much body to the sauce as it cooks down and the slow cooker really adds to that 🙂
That plating is gorgeous and the pasta sounds amazing!
Thank you Karen 🙂
OMG.. as usual... screen lickable.. lol. I've never tried bolognese sauce surprisingly. I'm definitely pinning this to try.
Thanks Renz... It is usually me that say I have not tried something... After 8 years of living in the Hungarian countryside most new food trends pass me by, but bolognese is an 'old skool' classic and it is perfect from the slow cooker.
I have to try this bolognese recipe in my Crockpot, which I´ve been loving lately... I made the most yummiest fish stew in it today. They are magical in the winter, aren´t they? 🙂
Thanks Johlene, slow cookers are great... Not the most practical at cooking for two but love them in winter for batch cooking recipe bases. Fish stew in a slow cooker sounds perfect, that light slow simmer is perfect!