Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce makes creating a homemade, tomato-based pasta sauce in the slow cooker so easy!  Just toss everything in your slow cooker and you’ll have a fabulous, multi-purpose sauce ready for pizza, pasta, breadsticks, and more!

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Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce

I’ve been trying to make as much in my slow cooker as I can lately.  Instead of having to stop whatever I’m doing to start making dinner, dinner is already done!  That’s such a great feeling! 

I feel like it gives me back time to spend with my family, walk my dog, or curl up with my latest book.

So, because I try to make all my sauces from scratch, I decided I might as well create a slow cooker version of my Homemade Marinara Sauce, and here we are with Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce.

Why make homemade marinara sauce?

As easy as it is to open a jar of marinara from the grocery store, you just can’t beat homemade. 

It’s not only super inexpensive, but it makes more than you get from a jar, and you can control the ingredients.

For example, I don’t want sugar in my marinara, but a lot of sauces from the store include it. 

Also, I can make my marinara sauce organic for way cheaper than buying organic sauce from the store!

Ingredients needed for this recipe (scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):

• Canned crushed tomatoes
• Onion
• Garlic
• Bay leaf
• Fresh basil
• Dried oregano
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt, pepper
• Olive oil

Here, I use homemade marinara sauce in my Mushroom Kale Lasagna (shown below).

It’s layered between lasagna noodles, garlicky sautéed mushrooms and kale with a blend of cheeses.  Perfect for Meatless Monday!

How to use Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce:

• Dipping Calabrian Chili Garlic Bread, mozzarella sticks, fried ravioli or breadsticks.
• Great as a pizza sauce!
• Use it as the base in Mushroom Kale Lasagna (pictured above).
• Freeze it in small containers for ready-to-go homemade sauce.
• Feel free to drop some meatballs or Italian sausages in the sauce so everything cooks at the same time.

How long is homemade marinara sauce good for?  Can I freeze it?

Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 6 days. 

This marinara sauce can also be frozen in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months.

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Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce

Flavorful Eats

Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce makes creating a homemade, tomato-based pasta sauce in the slow cooker so easy!  Just toss everything in your slow cooker and you'll have a fabulous, multi-purpose sauce ready for pizza, pasta, breadsticks, and more!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

0 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Servings 3 cups

Equipment

• 5 quart slow cooker

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 5-6 fresh basil leaves sliced (reserve some for later)
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp. salt plus more later
• black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil optional

Instructions

 

• Add the crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, bay leaf, 2-3 of the sliced basil leaves, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add the rest of the sliced basil, stir, and taste for needed salt. Enjoy!

Keyword Pasta, Slow Cooker, Tomatoes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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