This tomato sauce recipe takes 5 minutes to assemble in the crockpot, then lets it cook for you.
Homemade Tomato Sauce in the Slow Cooker
I've been making homemade tomato sauce in the slow cooker for years because my family loves the rich and delicious sauce it makes without having to babysit a pot on the stove for hours. This recipe requires no peeling, seeding, or coring: it’s a one crockpot effortless recipe where you simply throw everything into the slow cooker, and it’s done.
Ingredients
The MVP of this recipe is your favorite canned tomatoes. Then, you’ll add olive oil, onion, garlic cloves, basil (or Italian seasoning), salt, and carrots to sweeten the sauce without adding much sugar.
How to Make Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
Place the tomatoes in a 6-quart slow cooker, add the seasonings, and cook on low for about 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally. If you want a smooth sauce, puree it with an immersion blender or blend it in a traditional blender in batches. Below, you’ll find a video to get a visual of the steps.
How to Thicken Tomato Sauce in a Slow Cooker
If you poured the liquid from the cans or simply want a thicker sauce, you can thicken the tomato sauce directly inside the slow cooker by making a slurry in a small bowl with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with a little water. Add it to the sauce, stir to combine, and let it cook for 10 more minutes to thicken up.
How to Store Homemade Tomato Sauce
This sauce stays fresh for up to one week in the refrigerator, inside an airtight container or jar. You can also freeze portions in zip bags for up to two months. You can also make this shelf-stable and store it in the pantry by following this tomato canning process.
How to Use Homemade Tomato Sauce
I use this slow cooker tomato sauce almost every week for pasta, like skillet lasagna, and for meals like homemade pizza pockets and my kid's favorites: pizza chicken, spaghetti squash lasagna boats, meatball subs, and my famous Paleo Chili.
Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 2 28-ounce cans of tomatoes, crushed, whole, or diced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried basil or Italian seasoning
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
Make the sauce:
- Add all the ingredients into a 6-quart slow-cooker. Cover and cook 3 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low, stirring occasionally.
- If you're using whole tomatoes, once they've broken down, uncover. Continue cooking for another hour or two, until the sauce, has thickened.
- For a smooth sauce, blend it in a blender (in batches) or use an immersion blender to achieve the texture you like. Use in your favorite recipes.
Storage:
- Allow sauce to cool down to room temperature and refrigerate unused sauce in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
- The sugar is added to cut down the acidity of the tomatoes. If you want to reduce the amount, I suggest reducing it to no less than 1 teaspoon.
- If you plan on blending the tomato sauce to make it smoother, you can coarsely chop the onion, carrot, and garlic.
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pam says
wonderful recipe!
Shirley says
Delicious slow cooker tomato soup. Everyone at home loved it! Thanks for the recipe, Laura!
Maggie says
I bought a lof of tomatoes and didn’t know what to do them. This recipe is a perfect step by step guide to making a tomato sauce in my slow cooker. Thank you!
Lisa says
Yum! This slow cooker tomato sauce turned out great!! Thanks for the recipe!
Whitney S. says
Laura, your recipes are so well thought out and put together. As someone who struggles to learn, the pictures and detailed descriptions are so helpful. When I made this tomato sauce, I felt like I could make anything!