Crockpot Marinara Sauce
Savor Crockpot Marinara Sauce, a rich, slow-simmered homemade tomato sauce with San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, and herbs. This effortless slow-cooker classic delivers authentic Italian flavor perfect for pasta, pizza, or meatballs.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Crockpot Marinara Sauce is pure Italian comfort made effortless—the slow cooker gently melds premium tomatoes with garlic, onion, and fresh herbs into a thick, flavorful sauce with incredible depth that tastes like Nonna’s but requires almost no hands-on time. It’s naturally vegan, gluten-free, low-calorie, and free of preservatives, making it healthier than jarred versions while being infinitely tastier. Perfect for batch cooking, freezing, or gifting, this sauce fills your home with cozy tomato-basil aroma and yields enough for multiple meals. Versatile for pasta, lasagna, pizza, or dipping—this marinara will become your go-to homemade staple.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use San Marzano Tomatoes → For authentic sweetness and low acidity.
- Sauté Aromatics First → Optional but adds incredible depth.
- Crush Tomatoes by Hand → For rustic texture.
- Add Sugar Sparingly → Balances acidity; taste at end.
- Fresh Basil Last → Preserves bright flavor.
- Reduce for Thickness → Cook uncovered last hour.
Crockpot Marinara Sauce
Rich, flavorful homemade marinara sauce slow-simmered in the crockpot—perfect Italian essential.
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry red wine (optional)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1 carrot, grated (optional sweetness)
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 cans (28 oz each) whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics → Heat olive oil; cook onion 5 minutes until soft.
- Add Garlic → Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Crush Tomatoes → Hand-crush tomatoes with juice into crockpot.
- Combine → Add sautéed mixture, oregano, carrot, wine, salt, pepper.
- Stir Gently → Mix everything to combine.
- Slow Cook → Low 8 hours or high 4 hours.
- Taste & Adjust → Add sugar if needed; adjust seasoning.
- Reduce → Cook uncovered last hour for thicker sauce.
- Add Basil → Stir in fresh basil off heat.
- Blend Optional → Use immersion blender for smoother texture; serve or jar!
Notes
- San Marzano tomatoes make the best sauce.
- Carrot naturally sweetens without sugar.
- Fresh basil at end keeps flavor vibrant.
- Sauce improves overnight—perfect for meal prep.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 141Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 11gSodium 442mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 1g
The recipes and nutritional information on Crock Pot Meal are for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for personalized dietary advice.
Ingredients Notes
- San Marzano Tomatoes → Canned whole peeled; gold standard for marinara.
- Olive Oil → Extra-virgin; heart-healthy base.
- Garlic → Fresh whole cloves; mellows beautifully.
- Onion → Sweet or yellow; caramelizes gently.
- Fresh Basil → Added at end for vibrant aroma.
- Dried Oregano → Italian or Greek for authentic flavor.
- Red Wine → Optional depth; alcohol cooks off.
- Carrot → Secret sweetness and natural thickener.
Variations and Substitutions
- Spicy → Add red pepper flakes.
- Meaty → Brown ground beef or sausage first.
- Creamy → Stir in heavy cream or ricotta at end.
- Veggie Boost → Mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini.
- Low-Sodium → No-salt tomatoes and broth.
- Herby → Fresh thyme or rosemary.
Storage Options
- Refrigerator → Airtight jar up to 1 week.
- Freezer → Freeze in portions up to 6 months.
- Canning → Process in water bath for shelf-stable (1 year).
Dish Gallery
Please share this Crockpot Marinara Sauce with your friends and do a comment below about your feedback.
We will meet you on next article.
Until you can read, Crockpot Hot Fudge Sauce
