Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce
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Recipe type: Weekend Cooking, Cooking for a Crowd
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • ½ cup mushrooms, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 12 ounces lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried oregano)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup dry white or red wine
  • 1 (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes, mashed into small pieces
Instructions
  1. In a Dutch oven or large skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil over high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until slightly softened, stirring frequently for about five minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic and tomato paste and cook until garlic is fragrant, about one minute.
  2. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon until no longer pink, about five minutes. Add salt, pepper, oregano and thyme and stir until combined.
  3. Add milk and bring sauce to a simmer until liquid is completely absorbed, about five minutes. Add wine and stir, simmering again until liquid is evaporated again, for about 10 minutes. At this point, meat should be nice and browned and sauce should be thickening.
  4. Meanwhile, place tomatoes in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the beef mixture to the slow cooker and stir until everything is combined.
  5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for six to eight hours. Sauce will be ready to eat immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container until you’re ready to reheat on the stovetop and serve.
  6. When sauce is almost done (or reheating), cook your favorite Barilla Collezione pasta (I’m partial to spaghetti or rigatoni) in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.
  7. Toss pasta with the meat sauce and serve sprinkled with cheese. Leftovers will keep for 3-5 days or can be frozen up to three months in individual portions.
Recipe by In Good Taste at http://ingoodtaste.kitchen/bolognese-sauce/