Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

This Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese recipe is one of my best. Absolutely perfect for a super easy mid week meal. No browning of mince required. It is deeply mellow with just the right amount of sweetness and the rosemary flavours it so expertly you're in Umbria at 5pm on a Wednesday evening. Wallop.

This is a big crowd pleaser in my house. It is a great one for batch cooking and  is so accommodating it's crazy.

It is savoury with a sweet edge brought to it by the carrots and ketchup. That is the reason my children love it so much.

The hidden veg in there also helps my parenting conscience. One of my children is vegetable phobic so any chance I get to sneak them down his throat makes me feel like Annabel Karmel.

Jump to:

• ♨️Do I Need To Brown The Minced/Ground Beef?
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🍴 Serving Suggestions
• 💭 Top tips
• 🍲How to Store
• 📋More Easy Slow Cooker Meals
• Easy 4 hours Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

*There is a full printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.*

♨️Do I Need To Brown The Minced/Ground Beef?

No in a word. I've never seen the point personally. Cooked mince is cooked mince however it gets there. We don't want crispy here and 4-6 hours in the slow cooker easily gets the job done.

🥘 Ingredients

• 500 grams (17 oz) beef mince
• 500 grams (17 oz) passata or chopped tomatoes
• 1 sprig rosemary or half a tsp of dried mixed herbs
• 4 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 medium carrots peeled
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 large garlic clove or tsp garlic puree
• 1 tsp salt
• half a tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp flour - plain or self raising it doesn't matter
• 2 tbsp olive oil or similar

🍽 Equipment

• Standard Slow Cooker
• Food Processor or Grater for carrots
• Saucepan
• Large Frying Pan
• Wooden Spoon
• Digital Scales
• Tbsp measure
• Garlic crush

🔪 Instructions

• Grate or chop finely, or even better, blitz in a food processor, the carrots and celery.
• Add the veg and minced beef to the slow cooker and sprinkle the flour on top. Using a wooden spoon or spatula mix the flour into the mince and veg completely.

• Empty the passata, salt and pepper into the slow cooker pot along with the ketchup and stir to combine. 
• Push the rosemary sprigs into the mixture and place the lid on top.

• Cook on low for 4-6 hours. You can leave it for longer if you are at work all day but 6 hours is the longest. Any more and it can start to burn on the bottom. However all slow cookers are different so you may find you can leave it longer in yours.
• Taste for final seasoning.

🍴 Serving Suggestions

• I like to serve it with fresh egg pasta. Either tagliatelle or spaghetti. I tend to keep it frozen in the freezer for readiness.
• If it suits you though dried pasta is perfectly fine. Wholewheat spaghetti is very good too. My children don't notice the difference and it is a great healthy choice.
• I find that 300 grams of fresh pasta feeds our family of four (2 children) really easily although the official amount is 100 grams per person.
• I also tend to always include green veg. I love broccoli or french beans dusted with black pepper.
• A Jacket Potato or Potato Wedges  would work very well too as would white long grain rice. White rice is usually about 60 grams dried rice per person.
• I like to top with a little grated cheese. Real and proper comfort food.

💭 Top tips

• Season well, this dish benefits from quite a bit of salt.
• If you prefer it sweeter then add another 2 tbsps of ketchup or a tsp of sugar.
• A point to mention is that you can make this in a large frying pan or saucepan too. It doesn't have to be made just in a slow cooker. Let the bolognese bubble in the pan on a low heat for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• I try not to stir too much  as it will cause the leaves to come off the rosemary sprigs and my children don't like to munch on them. I scoop them out before serving.
• Don't omit the flour as it thickens the spaghetti sauce.
• Use the best mince you can afford. It does make a difference. 
• Reheat the leftovers in the microwave covered until piping hot for super easy midweek meals.

🍲How to Store

Once cool store leftovers in an air tight container, remembering of course that bolognese is infamous for staining tupperware!

Bolognese freezes brilliantly for up to 3 months. Either defrost in the fridge overnight or in the microwave before reheating till piping hot.

📋More Easy Slow Cooker Meals

• Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
• Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Pasta
• Slow Cooker Beef Casserole
• Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
• Slow Cooker Beef Joint
• Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne
• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Risotto
• Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Do let me know how you got on in the comments below. I do love a good old hairy chin wag! Or come on over and join me on social media. I would love to connect with you.