Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce – Rich, Slow-Simmered Italian Comfort Made Easy

If there’s one pasta sauce that embodies comfort, depth, warmth, and soul-satisfying richness, it’s Bolognese sauce. Traditionally, true Italian Bolognese — known as Ragù alla Bolognese — is simmered low and slow for hours to build flavor. But thanks to the magic of the slow cooker, you can achieve that same deep, luxurious richness with almost no effort. Simply sauté your aromatics, combine ingredients, set it, and forget it. Hours later, you’re rewarded with a velvety, meaty, ultra-flavorful sauce that tastes like it came from an Italian kitchen.

This Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce has everything you love: tender ground beef, softened vegetables, rich tomato undertones, a splash of milk for creaminess, and optional red wine for depth. As it cooks, the flavors meld and concentrate into a thick, hearty sauce perfect for pasta, lasagna, gnocchi, stuffed shells, or spooning over creamy polenta.

Whether you’re feeding your family, meal prepping for the week, or just craving a comforting dinner without standing over the stove, this slow cooker version makes it easy. It’s hands-off, big-batch friendly, freezer-ready, and guaranteed to become a recipe you’ll come back to again and again.

Why This Slow Cooker Version Works

✓ Slow cooking builds flavor naturally

Long, gentle heat develops a deep, rich flavor without constant stirring.

✓ Minimal prep, maximum payoff

Just a quick sauté and everything goes into the slow cooker.

✓ Perfect texture

The sauce becomes thick, hearty, and silky as it simmers.

✓ Great for meal prep

Makes a large batch, reheats beautifully, and freezes well.

✓ Versatile

Serve with pasta, baked dishes, vegetables, or grain bowls.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (80/20 preferred)
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional but recommended)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Brown the beef:
   In a skillet, heat olive oil and brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
2. Sauté aromatics:
   Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the skillet. Cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
3. Transfer to slow cooker:
   Add beef and sautéed vegetables into the slow cooker.
4. Add remaining ingredients:
   Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, milk, broth, wine, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
5. Slow cook:
   Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours.
6. Finish the sauce:
   Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.
7. Serve:
   Spoon over pasta, polenta, or use as a base for lasagna and stuffed shells.

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

A rich, slow-simmered Italian meat sauce made easy in the slow cooker. Tender beef, creamy tomato richness, and deep, comforting flavor.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 cups

Course: Dinner, Sauce

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 240

Ingredients

  

Bolognese Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef 80/20
• 1 onion finely diced
• 2 carrots finely diced
• 2 celery stalks finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 cup milk whole
• 0.5 cup beef broth
• 0.5 cup red wine optional
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Skillet
• Wooden spoon

Method

 

1. Brown ground beef in a skillet with olive oil.
2. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic; sauté until softened.
3. Transfer beef and vegetables to slow cooker.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, milk, broth, wine, seasonings, and bay leaf.
5. Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours.
6. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning before serving.

Notes

For extra richness, stir in heavy cream at the end.

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Bolognese

Use milk — never skip it

It mellows acidity and adds creaminess.

Wine adds depth

Choose a dry red wine like Chianti, Merlot, or Cabernet.

Dice vegetables small

Smaller pieces melt seamlessly into the sauce.

Brown the beef first

This adds flavor and prevents greasy sauce.

Simmer longer for richer flavor

The longer, the better — 8 hours is ideal.

Variations

Turkey Bolognese

Swap beef for ground turkey and reduce milk to 1/3 cup.

Vegetable-Loaded Bolognese

Add mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach in the last hour.

Creamy Bolognese

Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream at the end.

Spicy Bolognese

Add crushed red pepper or a pinch of cayenne.

Italian Sausage Bolognese

Replace half the beef with mild or spicy Italian sausage.

How to Serve Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

• Over pappardelle
• With spaghetti or linguine
• In lasagna
• In baked ziti
• Over creamy mashed potatoes
• Over polenta
• With gnocchi
• As a filling for stuffed shells
• As a topping for roasted vegetables

Storage & Freezing

• Fridge: Up to 5 days
• Freeze: Up to 3 months
• Reheat: Simmer gently on the stove or microwave

This sauce gets better each day as flavors deepen.