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Photo of Slow cooker Bolognese sauce with spaghetti by WW

Slow cooker Bolognese sauce with spaghetti

8
Points®
Total Time
4 hr 30 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
4 hr 15 min
Serves
8
Difficulty
Easy
Every cook needs a class Italian meat sauce in their recipe repertoire. The telltale orange color of classic Bolognese sauce comes from the addition of milk toward the end of cooking. It's a surprising ingredient that adds a silky body to the sauce and tenderness to the meat. If you're gluten-free, serve this sauce over spiralized veggie noodles or gluten-free pasta.

Ingredients

Olive oil

2 tsp

Uncooked fennel bulb

1 item(s), small, chopped

Uncooked onion

1 small, chopped

Carrots

1 medium, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Celery

1 rib(s), medium, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Garlic

4 clove(s), minced

Uncooked 95% lean ground beef

½ pound(s)

Uncooked 96% lean ground pork

½ pound(s)

Table salt

1 tsp

Red pepper flakes

¼ tsp

Black pepper

¼ tsp

Canned crushed tomatoes

28 oz

Grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup(s), divided

2% reduced fat milk

⅓ cup(s)

Uncooked whole wheat spaghetti

1 pound(s)

Fresh basil

½ cup(s), chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel, onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef, pork, salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper; cook, breaking up meat with side of wooden spoon, until browned, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to 5- or 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Stir tomatoes into beef mixture. Cover and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 3 1/2 hours on Low. Stir in 1/4 cup of Parmesan and the milk. Cover and cook 30 minutes on Low.
  3. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in same large pot according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
  4. Divide spaghetti evenly among 8 bowls; top evenly with meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and the basil.
  5. Serving size: a scant 1 cup pasta, 3/4 cup sauce, and 1 tbsp Parmesan

Notes

Store the sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and gently reheat.

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