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This Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese is rich, rustic, and unbelievably easy to make. The sauce simmers low and slow, developing deep flavor that clings beautifully to pasta, zucchini noodles, or any vegetables you love. It’s comfort food made simpler.

While a traditional Spaghetti Bolognese recipe on the stovetop is always satisfying, letting the slow cooker take over makes everything even better. With minimal prep and maximum flavor, this slow cooker spaghetti is the kind of meal you’ll want on repeat. If you’ve never tried a slow cooker bolognese sauce, this is the perfect place to start.

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce, packed with so much flavour to coat your pasta

Why This Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese Works

The only way we make bolognese now is in the slow cooker. This method gives you melt-in-your-mouth tender meat that practically falls apart into the sauce, coating every strand of pasta in rich, slow-simmered flavor. Once you try this recipe, it’s hard to go back.

This is a family favorite that makes enough to feed a crowd or stock your freezer for those no-effort dinner emergencies. Just reheat, boil fresh pasta, and you’ve got a second night of restaurant-worthy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese or pile the leftovers onto toast for an indulgent twist. No extra cooking required (except maybe boiling water, which barely counts).

What Goes Into This Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

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Overview photo of Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese recipe ingredients including olive oil, onion, ground beef, garlic, beef stock, carrot, red wine, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, parsley, sugar, beef bouillon, pasta

This Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese is built on layers of flavor from simple, wholesome ingredients. As everything slow cooks together, the sauce becomes rich, hearty, and perfect for coating spaghetti or your favorite pasta.

A few key ingredients that make this spaghetti bolognese recipe shine:

  • Lean Ground Beef – brings that meaty richness while staying light enough for everyday meals.
  • Crushed Tomatoes and Tomato Paste – give the sauce depth, body, and a bold tomato flavor.
  • Red Wine (or beef broth) – adds a hint of acidity and richness. Use whichever you prefer.
  • Seasoning – A mix of fresh parsley, garlic, onion, and dried herbs like oregano and basil round out the flavor.
  • Pasta – Of course, don’t forget the spaghetti, cooked fresh before serving to soak up every bit of this slow cooker bolognese sauce.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for list of full ingredients and measurements.

How To Make Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

  1. Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onions until soft, then add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add ground beef and brown for 2 to 3 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  1. Deglaze Pan: Return the same skillet to the heat and pour in the wine or broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits. Let it simmer for a minute to release flavor, then pour the liquid directly into the slow cooker with the browned meat.
  1. Add Ingredients: Stir in crushed tomatoes, beef stock, tomato paste, carrot, stock powder, salt, oregano, basil, sugar, and pepper. Combine all ingredients evenly.
  1. Slow Cook Sauce: Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours, until meat is tender and sauce thickened. Stir in fresh parsley just before serving.
  1. Boil Pasta: In the last 15 minutes, boil spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water for finishing the dish.
  1. Toss and Serve: Return pasta to the pot and add reserved water and 2 cups of sauce. Toss to coat well. Serve warm with parmesan and extra parsley if desired.

A bowl of Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese is cozy on its own, but it pairs perfectly with a few easy sides to make it a full meal. Our Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread is a no brainer, crisp and golden and made for soaking up every bit of that rich sauce.

You can also serve it with Easy Soft Dinner Rolls for a softer, fluffier option that’s just as satisfying. Add a side of Roasted Cauliflower for something light and flavorful, or toss together a simple green salad to balance out the richness.

Recipe FAQ’s

What’s The Best Pasta To Use With Bolognese?

Spaghetti is the classic choice, but you can use any pasta that holds sauce well. Tagliatelle, fettuccine, or even rigatoni all work beautifully with this rich, slow-cooked sauce.

Can I Make This Without Wine?

Absolutely. If you prefer not to use wine, just substitute it with extra beef broth. You’ll still get a flavorful slow cooker bolognese sauce with great depth.

Can I Add Vegetables To The Sauce?

Yes, feel free to bulk it up with extra veggies. Mushrooms, diced bell peppers, or chopped zucchini can be added along with the carrots for even more flavor and texture.

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4.62 from 21 votes

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 serves
Easy to make rich and rustic Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce, packed with so much flavour to coat your pasta (or Zucchini noodles) of choice!
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Ingredients 
 

Bolognese Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 onions finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced, or 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup red wine or beef broth/stock – optional
  • 56 ounces crushed tomatoes 28-ounce cans
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 large carrot chopped
  • 1 tablespoon stock powder or crushed beef bouillon
  • 2-3 teaspoons salt adjust to your taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano or 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

To Serve:

  • 17 ounces spaghetti dry pasta

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). 
  • Brown beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until just beginning to brown (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker bowl.
  • Return the skillet to the stove; pour in the wine while scraping any bits of the fried meat from the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and transfer to the slow cooker bowl.
  • To the slow cooker bowl, add in the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, tomato paste, carrot, stock powder (or crushed bouillon cubes), salt, oregano, basil, sugar and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or high for 3-4 hours. Add in the chopped parsley before serving.
  • In the last 15 minutes of cooking time, boil pasta in salted water following packet instructions.
  • Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Pour the reserved water back into the pasta along with 2 cups cooked bolognese sauce. Stir until the sauce is thick enough to coat the pasta. 
  • Serve with parmesan cheese and (extra) chopped parsley, if desired.

Notes

To freeze: cool completely before transferring any remaining sauce into air tight containers. I use disposable containers since the sauce tends to stain.
Nutrition information is based on per serve out of 9 serves. The recipe states serves 8, but you will have about 2 serves of left overs!

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1.248mg | Potassium: 1.377mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2.283IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this? Leave a comment below!
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4.62 from 21 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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29 Comments

  1. ROBERT says:

    5 stars
    I MADE THIS AS WRITTEN FOR COMPANY. I AM AT THE POINT WHERE I DO NOT TRY OUT YOUR RECIPIES BEFORE SERVING THEM TO COMPANY. I HAVE GROWN TO TRUST YOU COMPLETELY. YOUR RECIPIES ARE ALWAYS AMAZING. THANK YOU.

  2. Laura Rutter says:

    5 stars
    I am in the middle of cooking this 4hours on high in the slow cooker and my house smells absolutely amazing. I cannot wait to tuck in cooking for the mother and father in law to so hopefully they enjoy it as much as my and my partner.

  3. Wendy says:

    5 stars
    You never disappoint. This is delicious.

  4. Alex says:

    5 stars
    Lovely recipe but not sure I did the tomatoes right. Should they be drained before putting in?

    I used chopped tomatoes as couldn’t see crushed in the supermarket.

  5. Natalie says:

    Hi, could I use Passats instead of crushed tomatoes? Just want the consistency to be be right. Thanks!

  6. Pam joseph says:

    Hi we are trying not to eat too much red meat would this recipe work with Turkey mince and should I change/add any ingredients ?

    1. Karina says:

      That would be fine Pam!

  7. Loretta Jasper says:

    5 stars
    I love to cook and/or bake, ever since I saw your delightful site for the first time (yesterday). I have been anxious to start cooking right away., now my only problem is which ones to choose….I have company coming for dinner tomorrow, and your recipes are my choices for everything I want to cook….. (I’m thinking I should’ve invited more people to come over for dinner). LOL. from all the recipes I have checked out so far, I can tell that your recipes are amazing…thank you so much for sharing ..I will definitely be back for more of your fabulous recipes……….

  8. Rahul Digital says:

    OMG! this looks delicious!! I can think of about a million ways to enjoy this!

  9. Anna says:

    5 stars
    This turned out great! I browned the beef and onions the night before so I could just dump everything in the slow cooker before work the next morning. I loved how all the flavors blended together, the texture was perfect, we served with spaghetti. I chose to add a large package of baby bella mushrooms. My only change is I would either lessen or omit the wine next time, we don’t cook with alcohol often and I found the flavor a little overpowering. This was a great weeknight meal, and I will definitely make again!

    1. Peter says:

      The trick to cooking with wine is to fry it off with the meat before adding the sauce ingredients. Fry the beef in a dry pan until the juice evaporates then add in the wine and fry on a medium to high heat until the wine is around half to 3/4 evaporated. This will make the sauce less vinegary and overpowering 🙂

  10. Rania says:

    5 stars
    Hello 🙂
    My crockpot is just 4L, can I still do the same quantity?
    Thank u so much!

    1. Karina says:

      I would cut the recipe in half. Hope that helps! Enjoy! XO