This deliciously rich and classic pasta sauce has been a family favorite for a long time, now, adapted for your slow cooker! There’s nothing better than spaghetti bolognese for a warm, comforting meal on weekdays. The sauce is easy to make and also freezes well!

This recipe was created for Holland House Cooking Wines. All opinions are my own.

At last! The sweater weather is upon us in Austin, albeit barely, but I’m taking the opportunity to reintroduce some favorite fall dinners. Although I use my slow cooker year-round (great for keeping my hot cooking cool in southern summers), it really becomes my workhorse for hot fall and winter meals. I especially love the ease and aroma of a slow-cooked meal that awaits me at the end of the day. If you’re like me and work from home, this hearty and irresistibly good Bolognese sauce will make you watch the clock all day. Dinner can’t come soon enough with something so delicious bubbling!

Bolognese is an excellent traditional Italian sauce, with a thick, silky texture and an acidic, tasty taste full of herbaceous aromas. Some like to simmer in chopped carrots and celery for more depth of flavor. Since I don’t always have them on hand, and I guess neither do you, I wanted to keep it simple (but just as delicious) today!

Ready to spin your fork around a bowl of this spicy goodness?

Since this recipe makes a double batch of Bolognese sauce, you will easily feed 8-10 hungry guests to dinner. Or, you can freeze the sauce in small or large portions to use later. A little anticipation is always a great time saver, when I want a home-cooked meal without much effort. Just boil some pasta to mix with your thawed and heated sauce, and you’ll have a meal that will fill your belly with just a few dishes to clean. It’s a winning dinner!

Now, a little note about cooking the meat, onions, and garlic before adding them to your slow cooker. This is a necessary step. Trust me.

When I started making slow-cooked sauces with ground beef and meatballs, I assumed that only the meat could be added to the sauce, raw and uncooked. What turned out was not good. The ground beef essentially melted in the sauce, creating a mealy texture that was unpleasant and tasteless. It needs that flavor and texture that comes from sizzling the meat in your pan before cooking it slowly. This helps create a filling, robust tomato sauce with crispy, browned meat bites that resist your spaghetti! Totally delicious and worth a little extra effort.

Once you’ve browned the meat (or turkey), onions, and garlic, deglaze your pan with Holland House Red Cooking Wine. You have to love that sizzling sound! This cooking wine is one of my best pantry staples in fall and winter. I use it to add an amazing flavor boost to my sauces, stews, and pot roasts throughout the season. I love being able to store this wine in my cabinet after using a splash, without having to worry about a large bottle spoiling! It’s basically what makes this recipe so vibrant and rich, so grab a bottle for yourself. Here’s a coupon!

Let your wine simmer about halfway, savor that delicious aroma, and put it all in your slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. All that’s left to do is wait patiently 3-4 hours (if cooking at High), or up to 6 hours (if cooking at Low), and you’ll have the canvas for a delicious dinner. Just add some hot cooked spaghetti, a pinch of parmesan, and some chopped basil or parsley, if it feels fancy. I love serving this meal with garlic bread and a light green salad with lemon.

Dive!

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