The crockpot is perfect for Bolognese sauce which is made by slow cooking lean ground beef, pancetta, onions, tomatoes and wine. This recipe by Skinnytaste is an excellent way to enjoy your pasta, so dig in! Serve with a boiled pasta of your choice or cooked spaghetti squash.
Crockpot Bolognese
Ingredients
- 4 ounces pancetta, chopped (or center cut bacon)
- 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
- 1 large white onion, minced
- 2 celery stalks (about 3/4 cup), minced
- 2 medium carrots (about 3/4 cup), minced
- 2 pounds 95% lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- Salt and fresh pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup half & half cream
Directions
In a large deep saute pan, sauté pancetta on low heat until the fat melts, about 4-5 minutes. Add butter, onions, celery and carrots and cook on medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
Increase flame to medium-high; add meat, season with salt and pepper and sauté until browned. Drain the fat then add wine; cook until it reduces down, about 3-4 minutes.
Add to crock pot. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper; cover and set slow cooker to LOW 6 hours.
After the 6 hours, adjust salt and pepper to taste, add half & half and parsley; stir and serve over your favorite pasta or spaghetti squash.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 20 | Serving Size: 1/2 cup sauce
Per serving: Calories: 143; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 48mg; Sodium: 145mg; Carbohydrate: 5g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 15g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 452mg; Iron: 10%; Vitamin A: 30%; Vitamin C: 20%; Calcium: 2%
Gina Homolka is the founder of Skinnytaste.com, the award-winning blog that’s been featured on Fitness, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour.com, and FineCooking.com, among other media outlets. She lives on Long Island with her husband and their two children. Look for Gina’s new cookbook, The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor on sale September 30, 2014.
Photo courtesy of Penny De Los Santos. Original recipe published in The Skinnytaste Cookbook.
