Easy Spaghetti Bolognese

Submitted by Kaylene Myers - added 5/1/24

🍽 Serves 6 to 8

This pasta sauce could not be simpler to prepare. After you combine the ingredients in a slow cooker, the sauce simmers to savory perfection, ready to be tossed with cooked spaghetti.

Ingredients

• 6 oz. bacon slices, cut into 1/2-in pieces
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lb. ground beef
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 lb. spaghetti, cooked, water reserved

Instructions

1. In the stovetop-safe insert of a slow cooker over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Spoon off all but 1 Tbsp. of the fat. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp. of the salt and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and the remaining 1 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, milk and the 1/3 cup cheese.
2. Place the insert on the slow-cooker base. Cover and cook on low according to the manufacturer's instructions until the sauce thickens, about 4 hours. Skim the fat off the sauce. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
3. Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce along with enough pasta-cooking water to loosen the sauce and toss to combine. Transfer to individual bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.