Garden-Style Crockpot Marinara Sauce Recipe That’s Worth the Wait.

This homemade crockpot marinara sauce is the kind of staple that makes dinner easy - toss everything in the slow cooker and let it do its thing. It's loaded with garden vegetables, herbs, garlic, and crushed tomatoes for a hearty, healthy pasta sauce you can use for everything from spaghetti to lasagna.

Pin

The backstory.

I love a good jar of marinara for busy nights, but sometimes I want a homemade sauce with a little more going on. This one started as an easy way to sneak extra vegetables into pasta night without making a big production out of it. Onion, celery, bell pepper, and carrots cook low and slow with tomatoes, garlic, and herbs until everything comes together into a hearty garden-style sauce. Best of all, once everything is in the crock pot, my work is pretty much done.

It's a must make.

Crockpot marinara sauce is one of those handy recipes to keep around because it's easy enough for a weeknight but versatile enough to use in all kinds of meals.

• Loaded with vegetables. Chopped vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, and green bell pepper add flavor, texture, and plenty of garden goodness.
• Easy and hands-off. Once everything is in the slow cooker, you can walk away and let the sauce cook low and slow.
• Make it your way. Keep it chunky and hearty or blend it smooth depending on how your family likes their pasta sauce.
• Use it for so many meals. Spoon it over spaghetti, layer it into lasagna, or use it in your favorite Italian-inspired crockpot recipes.

Let's talk flavor and texture.

This sauce is rich and tomatoey with plenty of savory flavor from garlic, oregano, basil, and all those slowly cooked garden vegetables. The carrots add a subtle natural sweetness that balances the tangy crushed tomatoes, while the celery, onion, and green pepper give it that hearty homemade flavor. As written, the sauce has a chunky, rustic texture, but you can easily blend it if you prefer your marinara smooth.

What you'll need.

Pin

Slow cooker marinara sauce uses simple pantry staples and fresh vegetables to make a hearty homemade sauce without standing over the stove.

• Extra virgin olive oil: Adds richness and helps round out the flavors of the tomatoes and vegetables.
• Onion: Finely chopped onion adds savory flavor and a little natural sweetness as it cooks.
• Celery: Adds another layer of garden flavor to the sauce.
• Green bell pepper: Gives the marinara a subtle peppery flavor and adds another vegetable to the mix.
• Carrots: Finely chopped carrots add mild sweetness that pairs perfectly with tangy tomatoes.
• Minced garlic: A must for that classic savory marinara flavor.
• Crushed tomatoes: Two large cans create the rich tomato base for the sauce.
• Dried oregano: Adds classic Italian-inspired herb flavor.
• Dried basil: Gives the sauce a warm, slightly sweet herbal note.
• Dried bay leaves: Slowly infuse the sauce with extra savory flavor. Remember to remove them before serving.
• Kosher salt: Brings all the flavors together.
• Ground black pepper: Adds a little peppery warmth.
• Sugar, optional: Add a small amount to taste if your tomatoes are especially tangy.

For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!

How to make marinara sauce in slow cooker.

Here's an overview on how to make this recipe. See the recipe card below for complete instructions. Enjoy!

1. Add the olive oil, vegetables, garlic, crushed tomatoes, herbs, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to your slow cooker, then give everything a good stir.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, giving all those vegetables and herbs plenty of time to flavor the sauce.
3. Remove and discard the bay leaves, then taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
4. If the tomatoes taste a little too tangy, stir in a small amount of sugar to balance them.
5. Leave the sauce chunky or blend it to your preferred consistency.

Make it your way.

Making marinara sauce in slow cooker is easy to customize, so feel free to tweak the herbs, texture, or heat to suit your family.

• Add red pepper flakes if you like your marinara with a little kick.
• Swap each teaspoon of dried basil or oregano for about 1 tablespoon of minced fresh herbs, adjusting to taste.
• Add a drizzle or two of balsamic vinegar to add a salty, tangy flavor.
• Blend the finished sauce with an immersion blender if you prefer a smoother pasta sauce.
• Add diced tomatoes to your sauce if you want it extra chunky.
• Add a little sugar at the end if your crushed tomatoes taste more acidic than you like.

How to use it.

Pin

Crockpot marinara sauce is one of those recipes worth having in the fridge or freezer because there's always something you can do with it.

• Spoon it generously over spaghetti or your favorite pasta and finish with Parmesan and fresh basil.
• Use it as the sauce for homemade lasagna or baked ziti.
• Pair it with meatballs for an easy family dinner or meatball sandwiches.
• Use it with Italian sausage and peppers for a hearty meal.
• Add it to Parmesan chicken soup for extra tomato and herb flavor.
• Keep some on hand as a dipping sauce for breadsticks, mozzarella sticks, or cheesy garlic bread.

Kori's tips.

• This is meant to be a chunkier, garden-style marinara. If your family prefers smooth sauce, use an immersion blender after cooking until it reaches the consistency you like.
• Wait until the sauce has finished cooking before deciding whether it needs sugar. Tomatoes vary quite a bit in sweetness and acidity.
• Don't forget to remove both bay leaves before serving or blending the sauce.
• Chop the vegetables fairly small and evenly so they soften nicely and distribute throughout the sauce.
• Every slow cooker runs a little differently. Once you know whether yours tends to cook hotter or cooler, adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Fresh herbs can be used instead of dried. Use about 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs for each teaspoon of dried herbs, then adjust to taste.

📌 Be sure to save this pin to Pinterest for later!

Pin