Slow cooking this marinara sauce caramelises the sugar in the tomatoes and creates the most incredible depth of flavour that you won’t ever get in a store bought bottled pasta sauce. It takes mere minutes to throw everything into the slow cooker, then just set and forget.
When it comes to store bought sauces, there’s a line I never cross. Store bought tomato sauce and ketchup is acceptable. Store bought chilli sauce and complicated ones like Worcestershire sauce are also acceptable to buy rather than make.
But pasta sauce is a no-go. No way, no day. The thing is, there are so many pastas you can make in 15 minutes from scratch that I just can’t comprehend why anyone would buy a bottle of pasta sauce. For example, here are 8 Simple Classic Italian Pastas that I shared last month, all of which are on the table in 15 minutes.
Making a pasta with a proper authentic marinara sauce takes longer than 15 minutes because you need to let it simmer away so the flavours can develop. Making it on the stove, I cook mine for at least 30 minutes, preferably for 1 hour. Time I don’t have mid week.
That’s why having a slow cooker version of marinara sauce is so handy. It takes 5 minutes to dump the ingredients into the slow cooker, then set and forget. The slow cooking caramelises the sugar in the tomatoes and creates a depth of flavour that store bought will never be able to compare to. It will keep for a week in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
I like my marinara sauce smooth because I like how evenly it coats the pasta. I also find it is easier to use as a sauce to pour over cannelloni and lasagne. So once the slow cooker is done, I use a handheld stick to whizz it until smooth which literally takes seconds. One tip: don’t forget to remove the bay leaves!! Because they’re dried, they are quite tough and stringy and when you whizz it, you end up with stringy bits throughout your sauce. I’ve made this mistake a few times and it’s irritating!
This Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce recipe makes about 6 cups. I use 2 cups of sauce per 500g/1lb of dried pasta which serves 4 man size portions or 6 lady size servings. This amount of sauce coats the pasta as shown in the photo at the top.
This is also perfect for using for lasagne, cannelloni, Baked Spinach and Ricotta Rotolo (like cannelloni – but better because there’s brown crunchy bits!) and parmigiana (to name a few things!). Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
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Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce
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.
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.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nagi,
This was amazing. I almost never make a recipe without modifying, but this didn’t need a single change. I accidently planted ball squash instead of regular zucchini this year and decided to try making a zucchini parmigiana. This sauce couldn’t have been a better compliment to the dish! I have about 1/2 a batch left and will freeze to use later. Thanks again for another amazing recipe!!!
Can you use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes?
Hi Nagi, can you make this on the stove and simmer for an hour like you said in your comments (as I sadly don’t have a slow cooker!)?
Love your recipes, I forgot to add tomato paste can it be added at the end?
Could you tell me how to cook this in an Instant pot? Thanks! PS we love your recipes as they’re foolproof, delicious and there’s an excellent variety of different cuisines to try. The latest one we made was the double roasted potatoes
Hi, would you recommend using this sauce for chicken parmi?
Hi Marie, you can, I do have a Parmigiana recipe here too: https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-parmigiana/ N x
Hi Nagi
While making this sauce again I did not have enough oregano could I have substituted the basil and oregano with Italian herb blend and if so how much
Thank you
Hi Nagi I cooked this recipe and used it as a base for pizza’s huge success thank you
Hi would I be able to use tomato puree instead of whole tomatoes?
Hi there!
I made this recently and it was truly divine. Once it was finished cooking, I served it with gnocchi and turkey meatballs. I loved how the sauce clung to the gnocchi and meatballs. I did notice there was a very subtle bitter taste, would this have been from the tomato paste? Should I add additional brown sugar or balsamic to counter-balance this?
Best,
Darrin
Hi Darrin, sometimes tomatoes can be a little sour – I’d sell my soul for good tinned tomatoes here!! To offset this, just add 1 tsp or white or brown sugar to the mix – it will take that bitter flavour away 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, I have lots of home grown tomatoes at the moment, can I use fresh tomatoes?
Hi Karen, you sure can – you’ll need to blanch and remove the skins first and then crush them. You will need equivalent to the 2 cans (which is 1.6kg) – N x
Thanks Nagi, I’ll give it a go
PS…..love your recipes
I’ve only ever cooked your Asian dishes. Actually doing a Singapore noodles later for tonight and Sunday. But i look to you now for new recipes. Raging I missed this making last bach of sauce. Putting on now. Can I double recipe then remove half when done and take lid off foe another couple of hours to make a pizza sauce which is tomorrow’s weekend dinner? Thanks M
Yes definitely Mark! N x
Worked a treat. Thank you. I’m looking at your Thai green curry tonight 😁
Hi Nagi, I made this earlier today and I have just had it for dinner tonight. I used it with chicken meatballs and spaghetti it was so delicious. You are spot on with the flavour, I will never buy this sauce again. Thank you very much for the recipe and your funny sense of humour you make me laugh out loud. Yesterday you showed us a photo of Dozer looking longingly out of the window and your little feet were reflected in the window it was so funy. Thanks again. Keep safe Bernice x
You’re so welcome Bernice, thank you so much, you’ve made my day! N x
Hi Nagi! Question, I like my sauce really smooth but don’t have a blender…could I make this with tomato purée instead of diced tomatoes? Also, you mentioned in another comment to add some water if making on the stove. How much water would I need to add?
Hi Nagi, I saw in the comments you can use fresh tomatoes. I had a ton from my garden. What variations should we make with fresh versus canned tomatoes. My sauce is pretty runny, it’s this normal
Hey lovely lady, made this and it was super easy and so tasty!
Would I be able to use it as a bolognese sauce?
You sure could Caroline!
Worked brilliantly, also used it for a meatball sauce!
If you ever get bored I would love you to work your magic on a recipe for Melanzane parmigiana :0)
This looks delicious. I am going it make it on the weekend for a big group and add a heap of seafood and shrimp to make a seafood marinara.. YUM! So just wondered if you had any extra tips I should be mindful of? Thinking to make sauce day before, and then heat and cook seafood on stove top.
Hi Kelly, I’d make the sauce first (as you suggested) then heat it up and add the seafood into it. You may need to loosen the sauce if it’s too thick the next day (just add a little extra water). Love to know how it goes! – N x
Hi! Question–in the directions it says to cook the onion/garlic on the stove–so, after the sauce has cooked? Or do I saute the onion/garlic, then add to the crockpot and then cook it? (Sorry if my question is confusing; I’m obviously confused!)
Hi Christina, dump in the slow cooker, set and forget!
Hi! I am going to make this next week for my in-laws, and was wondering–if I were to add some boneless skinless chicken breasts to the sauce to cook (not a ton of them, maybe like 2 or 3, 5-ounce breasts), I would add those for the whole cooking time, correct? and if I did that do you think I’d need to change any liquid measurements? Thank you for your help-I love that I can trust you’ve thought of everything with your recipes!
Hi Sarah! I’d add chicken in so they are in the slow cooker for around 4 hours, then shred them into chunky pieces. Delicious! N x
Thank you!!
Oh my goodness. I have cooked my Italian grandmothers sauce on the stove for the last 20 years. I am a SERIOUS convert to slow cooker sauce. I omitted the sugar and bay leaves and less oregano and did more basil as we are basil freaks. At the last minute before cooking I panicked I wouldn’t have enough sauce and added an additional 8 ounce can of sauce and anther 15 ounce can of sauce. I combined it all and put it in fridge overnight. Cooked for 6 hours on low and did not extend cooking time for an additional half hour even though the cooker was cold from the fridge. It ended up staying on warm for almost 4 hours after it was done cooking and it was PERFECT. I threw in a handful of grated parm about 30
Minutes before I served it and it was great. Even with the extended cook time and extra sauce, I am FLOORED at how (excuse the pun) slow cooked this tastes. I love the thought of not having to stir on the stove every 30 minutes an entire Sunday. In fact I’m eating it out of a bowl right now with now macaroni. Just sauce on a spoon. Thank you thank you thank you for this. I love I can trust you’ve figured everything out for the slow cooker 🙂
Hi Nagi, I have a rather stupid question- does the garlic & onion in the ingredients list go in the slow cooker or later on the stove when making the sauce? Thanks
No silly questions around here! Pop it all in the slow cooker 🙂 N xx
Made this and it was lovely. Nicely rounded flavours and your pasta water trick ensured the sauce stuck to the pasta. Will definitely do this in future. Thanks Nagi, beautifully easy and tasty recipe.
Fantastic to hear Jen! Thanks for letting me know! N xx