Food and Recipes Pasta Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce Recipe A house full of guests requires a great meal that's also easy on the cook, and our Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce is exactly that. This hearty meat sauce serves 12 people generously—or 16 people if you serve smaller portions or have lots of side dishes. Made with ground beef, spicy Italian sausage, and diced pancetta plus red wine, Italian seasoning, and lots of vegetables, it's a robust, fully flavored topping for your favorite pasta. Best of all, this Bolognese sauce tastes incredible even when made ahead. (In fact, it may taste even better after the flavors have had a few days to come together.) The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days or frozen in an airtight container (or ziplock freezer bags) up to 3 months. By Paige Grandjean Paige Grandjean Instagram Website Paige Grandjean is a food editor and recipe developer with over seven years of experience in food media. Her recipes and writing have appeared in over 15 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. Paige's recipes have been showcased on the covers of magazines such as Food & Wine, Southern Living, and Cooking Light, with her 2020 Food & Wine Lamination cover story earning a spot as a Folio: Eddie and Ozzie Award Finalist. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on November 7, 2018 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 6 hrs 25 mins Yield: 12 serves Ingredients 1 pound 90⁄10 lean ground beef 12 ounces (3 links) hot Italian sausage, casings removed 8 ounces diced pancetta (1 1⁄2 cups) 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (2 cups) 2 celery stalks, chopped (1 cup) 2 large carrots, chopped (1 1⁄4 cups) 3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 Tbsp.) 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 cup dry red wine 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 fresh bay leaf 2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and rinsed 2 pounds uncooked ziti or penne pasta Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Fresh basil leaves Directions Combine ground beef, sausage, and pancetta in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high, stirring to break into small pieces, until browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a 6-quart slow cooker; reserve drippings in skillet. Add onion, celery, and carrots to hot drippings; cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add red wine; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add onion mixture to slow cooker with meat. Stir in sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Using your hands, crush tomatoes to break apart; add to slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on LOW until flavors meld, about 6 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain well. Serve sauce over pasta; top with cheese and basil. Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days or frozen up to 3 months. Print