Make a batch of this spicy Sausage Ragu in your crockpot – enough sauce for your supper tonight, as well as enough to go in the freezer for future meals.
To begin, brown two pounds of bulk hot Italian sausage in a large skillet.
Meanwhile, dice two onions and two red bell peppers, and mince 6 cloves of garlic – and then set those aside for a moment.
When the sausage is browned, use a slotted spoon to drain and move the sausage to your crockpot. You need to use a larger crockpot – I’m using a 4-1/2-Quart Crockpot.
Pour off most of the sausage drippings, leaving just a couple tablespoons. Sauté the onions, peppers and garlic in the drippings until they are tender.
Add in your seasonings: a teaspoon each of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, a tablespoon each of oregano, basil and parsley. Stir those in and let them cook for just a moment.
Add in a cup of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Stir that in and let it cook until it comes to a gentle boil. Turn off the heat.
Add the skillet contents into the crockpot as well.
Now for the tomatoes. You’ll add in 2 – 28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes (un-drained) and 2 -15 ounce cans of tomato sauce.
Stir this all together. Cover it and cook on low for 10 hours (or 6 hours on high.)
After the sauce has cooked, take a stick blender, and give it a “buzz” until it is the consistency you are looking for. You don’t have to do this, but I have 2 kids who HATE chunks of tomato – and this is how I take care of that. Divide this into meal portions and freeze them for future meals.
Serve with your favorite pasta, Stromboli, or any other way you would like to use ragu.
Slow Cooker Sausage Ragu
Make a batch of this spicy Sausage Ragu in your slow cooker – enough sauce for your supper tonight, as well as enough to go in the freezer for future meals.
Ingredients
- 2 onions
- 2 red bell peppers
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 lb hot bulk Italian sausage
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 Tb basil
- 1 Tb oregano
- 1 Tb parsley
- 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2 - 28 ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 2 - 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
Instructions
- To begin, brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet. Meanwhile, dice the onions and bell peppers, and mince the garlic – and then set those aside for a moment. When the sausage is browned, use a slotted spoon to drain and move the sausage to your slow cooker.
- You need to use a larger crockpot – I’m using a 4-1/2-Quart slow cooker.
- Pour off most of the sausage drippings, leaving just a couple tablespoons.
- Sauté the onions, peppers and garlic in the drippings until they are tender. Add in the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, oregano, basil and parsley. Stir those in and let them cook for just a moment. Stir in the wine and let it cook until it comes to a gentle boil. Turn off the heat.
- Add the skillet contents into the slow cooker, along with the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir this all together.
- Cover it and cook on low for 10 hours (or 6 hours on high.) After the sauce has cooked, take a stick blender, and give it a “buzz” until it is the consistency you are looking for. You don’t have to do this, but I have 2 kids who HATE chunks of tomato – and this is how I take care of that. Divide this into meal portions and freeze them for future meals.
- Serve with your favorite pasta, Stromboli, or any other way you would like to use ragu.
- Enjoy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 330Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 1272mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 17g
Nutritional Disclaimer: Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and estimated by a service called Nutritionix. That is a web-based nutritional calculator and is not guaranteed to be accurate. If the nutritional information is vital to you please verify it using your favorite trusted source.
Homemade sauce is THE BEST! I’ve never tried it in the crock pot but I bet the flavors really come out being cooked that way… can’t wait to try this!
Not just kids who “hate” chances of tomato in their sauce. Thanks for the idea!
This recipe is awesome! I’ve never made a spaghetti sauce in the crock pot before, but have seen several recipes for it. Maybe this is a sign I should try it soon. :)
Happy Wednesday and thank you for the nice recipe.