Watch how to make pasta bolognese in a slow cooker

Rhona Reid

Contributing Writer

While slow cookers are awesome for their ability to turn a bunch of raw ingredients into a mouthwatering meal with barely any input; sometimes you want to flex your culinary muscles a bit more than simply flinging chicken thighs into a waiting crock pot. This recipe perfectly combines a very traditional recipe, a little preparation and a long and slow cooking time, to produce an authentic Bolognese sauce.

Serving this wonderful Italian dish with ribbons of silky pappardelle and a generous shower of Parmesan cheese is just perfect. Drawing those long strands of pasta through that rich, meaty Bolognese sauce is one of life's great culinary pleasures. Take your time and enjoy every mouthful; you earned it!

Cooktop Cove

Pasta bolognese

6-8

20 minutes

8 hours

8 hours 20 minutes

2 pounds ground beef

1 onion, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup carrots, minced

1 cup celery, minced

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced

2 teaspoons fresh or dry thyme

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup no-sodium chicken broth

1 24-oz. jar of marinara or favorite pasta sauce

1½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Put a sauté pan on high heat. Add in oil. Cook onions and garlic until translucent. Add in ground beef. Cook until brown. Add in salt and pepper. Adjust the heat as needed. Drain any excess oil.

In a 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together chicken broth and tomato paste. Add in remaining ingredients, including ground beef. Mix well.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Add in marinara sauce. Mix well. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Tip: You can add in marinara sauce with chicken broth and tomato paste for a super rich bolognese.

Note: All slow cookers are a little bit different in temperature and calibration. This recipe was tested in Cooktop Cove's Test Kitchen using this slow cooker, which is available for purchase here.

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