Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese sauce in a white serving dish, garnished with basil.

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5 from 8 votes

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Simple slow cooker bolognese sauce recipe, ideal for batch cooking

Course Main Course

Cuisine Slow Cooker

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings

Calories 273kcal

Author Lucy Allen | BakingQueen74

Equipment

large oval slow cooker

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
2 medium onions red or brown
200 g carrots
100 g celery
1 yellow pepper
200 g cherry tomatoes
500 g lean beef steak mince
2 cloves garlic
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato purée
1 beef stock pot or your preferred stock cube
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to season

UK Measurements - US Measurements

Instructions

Brown the mince in a pan misted with cooking spray or oil.
500 g lean beef steak mince, 1 tsp olive oil
Add the garlic for the last minute.
2 cloves garlic
Place the onions, pepper, carrots and tomatoes in the slow cooker pot.
2 medium onions, 200 g carrots, 1 yellow pepper, 200 g cherry tomatoes, 100 g celery
Add the browned mince and garlic, then add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, stock pot, and herbs. Season well.
1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 4 tbsp tomato purée, 1 beef stock pot or your preferred stock cube, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, salt and pepper
Cook on low for 7-8 hours on or high for 4-5 hours.

Notes

Storage

Allow the bolognese sauce to cool then store in the fridge for 3 days in a covered container.

Freeze in a tub for up to 6 months.

Variations

Here are a few ways you can adapt the recipe. You could use one or more of these ingredients to vary the recipe and enhance the flavour:

a splash of Worcestershire sauce

a few chopped sun-dried tomatoes

a few chopped anchovies

diced mushrooms/aubergine (eggplant)/sweet potato/butternut squash

a splash of milk

use a mixture of minced beef and minced pork instead of all minced beef

Recipe tips

Vary the vegetables according to what you have to hand in the fridge.

Fresh herbs add flavour - add these on top just before serving.

Freezing - bolognese sauce freezes well and is perfect for batch cooking for the freezer. On busy days you can defrost a portion of sauce or as many portions as you need for a quick meal of spag bol along with some freshly boiled pasta.

Allow to cool after cooking and then transfer the sauce to Tupperware pots or freezer bags in the portions you will need.

Nutrition