This post is sponsored in conjunction with National Slow Cooker Month. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of unique slow cooker recipes. Our amazingly generous sponsor, Banza, recently gifted me with several boxes of chickpea pasta. All thoughts, ideas, recipes, pictures, and general silliness contained within this post are solely my own and not necessarily that of the sponsor.
Every Italian meal tastes better when made using homemade tomato sauce, instead of sauce poured out of a store-bought jar. However, we don’t always time to make a huge pot of sauce. This large-batch make-ahead recipe uses a slow cooker, saving you time, while also giving you the convenience of freezing lots of sauce for future use. Simply thaw, heat, and serve for a quick weeknight meal.
It’s always nice to have tomato sauce around the house, just in case you feel like making pasta, pizza, lasagna, or chicken parmesan for dinner on a busy weeknight. However, in my house, I absolutely refuse to use store-bought pasta sauce. Why? Because, I for one, am seriously not a huge fan of jarred tomato sauce. In my opinion, it always tends to be too acidic, or else it has ingredients in it that I just don’t like.
So, instead of reaching for a jar while at the market, I reach for a few cans of diced tomatoes instead. Add in a few fresh vegetables, some dried herbs, and a couple of seasonings, and weeknight dinner is served. And, it’s served even quicker with the use of a slow cooker. No need to slave away in front of the stove for hours. Plus, as an added bonus, you’ll have plenty left over to freeze for future weeknight meals.
Ingredients:
- 2 (28-oz.) Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 (16-oz.) Bag Carrots, Peeled & Grated
- 1 Large Sweet Yellow Onion, Peeled & Diced
- 6 to 8 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
- 1/4 Cup Capers
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Basil
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Directions:
- Place all of the tomato sauce ingredients into a crockpot, stir to combine, and then cook on low heat for 8 hours.
- Allow the tomato sauce to cool slightly before puréeing it in a food processor or blender in small batches.
- Store the tomato sauce in airtight freezer-safe containers and freeze for future use.
Suggestions:
- The number of crushed garlic cloves you use will depend on how much you like garlic and how large your garlic cloves are.
- Make sure to purée the sauce in small batches so that you don’t make a complete mess out of your kitchen.
- This recipe will yield approximately 10 cups of tomato sauce.
- I recommend freezing this sauce in 2 to 4 cup increments, that way you can thaw out just the right amount you need for a recipe.
Improvements:
- If you prefer a chunkier tomato sauce, only purée half of the sauce and then combine the chunky and puréed sauce together.
- Add a diced green pepper to the tomato sauce.
- Replace the dried oregano and basil in this recipe with fresh oregano and basil. I suggest using at least twice the amount if using fresh herbs.
- Serve this sauce over these Three-Meat Pork Meatballs with Parsley.
Ingredients:
- 2 (28-oz.) Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 (16-oz.) Bag Carrots, Peeled & Grated
- 1 Large Sweet Yellow Onion, Peeled & Diced
- 6 to 8 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
- 1/4 Cup Capers
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Basil
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Directions:
- Place all of the tomato sauce ingredients into a crockpot, stir to combine, and then cook on low heat for 8 hours.
- Allow the tomato sauce to cool slightly before puréeing it in a food processor or blender in small batches.
- Store the tomato sauce in airtight freezer-safe containers and freeze for future use.
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Please make sure to check out the other great “National Slow Cooker Month” recipes below or CLICK HERE to see more Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck crockpot and slow cooker recipes.
- Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake by That Recipe
- Beef Short Ribs with Vegetables by Family Around the Table
- Easy Slow Cooker Lady Pea Cassoulet by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Homestyle Pork Roast (Slow Cooker) by Palatable Pastime
- Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Lentil Soup by Frugal & Fit
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta Sauce by Savory Moments
- Slow Cooker Curried Lentil & Sausage Soup by The Spiffy Cookie
- Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Slow Cooker Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Slow Cooker Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Casserole by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Slow Cooker Pinto Bean and Chorizo Naan Bread Appetizer by The Freshman Cook
- Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage by Blogghetti
- Vegan Slow Cooker Chickpea Noodle Soup by Kate’s Recipe Box
Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck National Slow Cooker Month Recipes
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