Have you ever craved a comforting dish that brings everyone to the table with smiles? This creamy and rich spaghetti sauce is exactly that, and here is a bonus: it’s packed with protein from adding cottage cheese.
I needed a quick and easy crockpot creamy tomato sauce during the holidays to serve our out-of-town guests so I created this recipe. It filled the kitchen with a hint of Italy while it simmered in my slow cooker.
Why You’ll Want to Make This Creamy Tomato Sauce
This creamy tomato pasta sauce is super easy to make and makes your house smell amazing while it cooks. The slow cooking brings out all the rich flavors, so you get a tasty sauce without having to do much.
- Creamy delight: The sauce is wonderfully rich and creamy, that reminds me of a classic vodka sauce. It coats your pasta just right, making each bite feel comforting and indulgent.
- Easy to make: The recipe requires a short prep time and no constant monitoring since it’s made in your crock pot. Just chop a few ingredients, brown the meat, and toss everything into the slow cooker. It’s a simple, hands-off way to serve a hearty, flavorful meal for your guests!
- Time-saver: Since the sauce has a long cooking time, you can set it up ahead of time and let the slow cooker do all the work. You can focus on other things, like prepping for guests, while waiting for it to cook.
- Higher in protein: With the addition of cottage cheese, you get the bonus of a high-protein tomato sauce.
- Budget-friendly: You only need a few simple, affordable ingredients like ground beef, herbs, and canned tomatoes. The cottage cheese is more cost-effective than heavy cream, so you get a tasty meal without spending too much.
Before You Get Started
Here are some quick and easy tips to ensure your dish turns out perfectly every time.
Brown the ground beef until it’s nice and crispy to add more depth and richness to the sauce.
After browning the meat, make sure to drain any excess grease so the sauce doesn’t become too oily.
Taste the sauce as it cooks and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Ingredients You Will Need For A Spaghetti Sauce Creamy Recipe
Here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. For the full list of ingredients and exact measurements, be sure to check the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Ground beef: Opt for lean ground beef (at least 80% lean) to avoid excess grease in your sauce. It should be firm and red in color to ensure it’s fresh.
- Onion: Yellow onion suits best for this recipe. Look for firm ones with smooth, papery skin. Avoid those with sprouting or excess moisture.
- Garlic: Look for fresh garlic bulbs with firm, dry skins. The cloves should be plump and not sprouting.
- Crushed tomatoes: For convenience, go for canned crushed tomatoes. Just make sure it has no added sugars or preservatives to get a cleaner taste.
- Tomato sauce: Choose a can of tomato sauce with no added preservatives and, if possible, free from added sugar.
- Tomato paste: Look for high-quality tomato paste that’s made only from tomatoes with no added preservatives, sugars, or extra seasonings.
- Herbs: For this recipe, you’ll need dried oregano, dried basil, and parsley. Check the expiration of your dried herbs, as they lose flavor over time.
- Brown sugar: You’ll want it soft and moist without any hard, dry lumps.
- Cottage cheese: Look for full-fat cottage cheese for a creamy texture. Avoid those with additives or preservatives.
Variations and Substitutions
- Meat: Swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. If you want a slightly richer flavor, use ground pork. You can also try Italian sausage for a different flavor.
- Sweetener: If you’re looking for a natural sweetener, swap brown sugar for maple syrup or honey.
- Vegetables: Sauté carrots, mushrooms, or bell pepper with the aromatics, or stir in some spinach or kale towards the end of cooking time to get more veggies in your sauce.
If you enjoy making homemade pasta sauce, try this lemon garlic chicken in a crockpot, which uses heavy cream, chicken broth, and seasonings to create a similar creamy texture. For a vegetarian option, make this sweet potato pasta with creamy sauce.
Yes, you can make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the ground meat and adding more vegetables or plant-based protein sources like tofu or lentils.
For a thicker, protein-packed option, blend in cottage cheese with a little sauce until smooth. Pour the mixture into the tomato sauce just before it’s done cooking. To make a thin creamy sauce stir in heavy cream.
How To Make Creamy Tomato Sauce
Get ready to savor a rich, creamy tomato sauce that practically makes itself while you go about your day. No stress, just deliciousness waiting to happen.
Cook Meat and Add Seasonings
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until it’s no longer pink. As the beef browns, you’ll start to smell the savory richness filling your kitchen. Once it’s fully cooked, turn off the heat and drain any excess grease. With the meat still in the pan, add your chopped onion and minced garlic. Stir and let them cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes.
Now, transfer your browned meat mixture into a slow cooker along with the seasonings and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
Combine Ingredients
then pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Stir again to ensure everything is evenly mixed and ready to simmer. Cover the crockpot with the lid and let it cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
Blend Cottage Cheese
When your creamy tomato sauce is done cooking, take 2 cups of it and transfer it to a blender. Add 1 cup of cottage cheese. Secure the lid and blend the mixture on high for 20-30 seconds or until it’s completely smooth.
Add Creamy Mixture and Serve
Once the blended cottage cheese is smooth, pour it back into the crockpot with the remaining sauce and stir well to combine. Let it cook for another 10-15 minutes so everything heats up and the flavors meld together beautifully.
Hospitality Tips
Make It A Meal: Start your meal with these savory Parmesan rosemary shortbread crackers. Serve along side an Easy Panzanella Bread Salad and Cheesy Pull Apart Bread. Finish your meal with this No-Bake Tiramisu Cake for a sweet ending.
Make- Ahead and Freezing Tips: To save time, you can brown the meat in advance. Then, store it in an airtight containers in the fridge. To freeze the sauce, allow the sauce to cool to room temperature. Transfer it into a freezer-safe container or divide it into portions for easy thawing for a quick dinner.
Easily Adjust Servings: You can quickly double or triple the number of servings in the recipe card below by tapping the 2X or 3X button. The ingredient measurements will automatically adjust for you!
Biblical Hospitality Reflection
Spaghetti sauce is a dish that simmers, allowing the flavors to blend over time, much like how God works in our lives. Sometimes, we may want quick results, but God’s timing is perfect. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
Just like your sauce transforms as it simmers, our faith and character are shaped over time through experiences, challenges, and blessings. As you enjoy this meal with loved ones, consider sharing:
- When have you seen God’s timing work out better than your own plans?
- How has patience in your faith journey deepened your relationship with God?
As you enjoy this meal, remember that good things, whether in cooking or in life, take time to develop. Trust in God’s perfect timing, and savor the blessings He brings to the table.
Storage/Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions
- If you have leftovers, let the sauce cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply warm the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through.
- Freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container and enjoy for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, defrost the sauce overnight in the fridge or use the microwave’s defrost setting. Reheat on the stovetop or in a slow cooker on LOW.
- Combine your leftover sauce with your favorite cooked pasta, sprinkle with cheese, and bake until bubbly.
Do you have a question about the recipe? Feel free to ask in the comments below. I’m here to help!
Spaghetti Sauce Creamy Crock Pot Recipe
Note: Be sure to read through the recipe’s post for tips and details about this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef , lean, 85/15
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce tomato sauce
- 6 ounce tomato paste
- 1 tablespoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cottage cheese, full fat
Instructions
Brown the meat
- In a large skillet cook the ground beef until pink is gone over medium heat.1 pound ground beef
- Turn off heat and drain any excess grease from the cooked ground beef.
- Over medium heat add chopped onion and minced garlic to the ground beef. Cook until onions start to soften, about 2 minutes.1/2 cup onion, 2 cloves garlic
Combine Ingredients
- Transfer the browned meat mixture to a slow cooker.
- Add the seasonings, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.1 tablespoons parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste. Stir to combine.28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 15 ounce tomato sauce, 6 ounce tomato paste
Slow Cook
- Cover with lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
Add Creaminess
- After cooking, remove 2 cups of the sauce and place it in a blender with 1 cup of cottage cheese. Blend until smooth and creamy.1 cup cottage cheese
- Pour the blended sauce back into the crockpot and stir well to combine. Let it heat for another 10-15 minutes before serving.
Serve
- Ladle over hot cooked spaghetti or your favorite cooked pasta.
Notes
- Meat: Swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. If you want a slightly richer flavor, use ground pork. You can also try Italian sausage for a different flavor.
- Sweetener: If you’re looking for a natural sweetener, swap brown sugar for maple syrup or honey.
- Vegetables: Sauté carrots, mushrooms, or bell pepper with the aromatics, or stir in some spinach or kale towards the end of cooking time to get more veggies in your sauce.
