Description
Learn how to thicken spaghetti sauce in a crockpot with simple tips. Use natural reduction, tomato paste, or thickening agents for the perfect sauce!
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Add-ins
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon sugar (to balance acidity)
- Cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water)
- Cooked ground beef or Italian sausage
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients
- Chop the onions and mince the garlic.
- Gather all ingredients to streamline the cooking process.
- Sauté Aromatics
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onions and garlic until softened, about 3–4 minutes.
- Combine Ingredients in Crockpot
- Transfer sautéed onions and garlic to the crockpot.
- Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Cook the Sauce
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours.
- Thicken the Sauce (Optional)
- In the last hour, remove the lid to allow steam to escape and liquid to reduce.
- For extra thickness, stir in grated Parmesan cheese or a cornstarch slurry.
- Taste and Adjust
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or sugar as needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6–8 hours on low or 3–4 hours on high
- Category: Sauce, Condiment
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: crockpot spaghetti sauce, thickening spaghetti sauce, slow cooker pasta sauce, Italian tomato sauce recipe, how to reduce sauce in crockpot, natural reduction techniques, rich pasta sauce, easy crockpot recipes, tomato paste for thickening