• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Appetizers
  • Desserts
  • Entrees
  • Side Dishes
  • Snacks
  • Contact Us

The Lazy Slow Cooker

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Appetizers
  • Desserts
  • Entrees
  • Side Dishes
  • Snacks
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Appetizers
    • Desserts
    • Entrees
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home

    Published: Jun 9, 2019 · Modified: May 28, 2021 · By Susan

    Lazy Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    • Print
    Jump to Recipe

    Slow cooker marinara sauce is beyond delicious and you won't believe how easy it is to make. Perfect for pasta, chicken, meatballs and more. This simple recipe, made mostly from pantry staples, is great to make and freeze so you will always have some on hand.

    Close up of a ladle filled with marinara with a crock of marana blurred in the background
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to assemble
    • Serving and storage suggestions
    • Hints & hacks
    • Frequently asked questions
    • 📖 Recipe

    I get a little confused when I see people post about putting their slow cookers away for the summer. This little miracle worker is on call in my house 365/52. It only vacations when I do.

    Slow cookers rely heavily on the fact that they keep all of their heat inside. This makes for a much cooler kitchen than when larger appliances are in use. Plus, you have the added advantage of just being able to throw a bunch of ingredients into it and heading back outside. No missing beautiful summer afternoons and evenings because you are stuck inside preparing dinner. Best of both worlds!!

    all ingredients in slow cooker prior to cooking

    I have also noticed that no one in my household is ever willing to forgo a hot meal, even on a hot day. This easy crockpot marinara sauce is always a perfect option.- spring, summer, winter or fall. It pairs well with everything.

    Ingredients

    To make this dish you will need:

    • olive oil
    • onion
    • garlic
    • diced tomato 
    • crushed tomato
    • whole peeled tomato
    • tomato paste
    • dried oregano
    • dried basil
    • bay leaves
    • kosher salt fresh ground pepper
    • Parmesan rind (optional)
    exact quantities can be found here

    How to assemble

    Start by adding your olive oil, garlic and onion into your slow cooker and turning it on high. Gather together remaining ingredients and open all cans. Add tomatoes and spices into slow cooker and stir to combine. Parmesan rind is listed as optional incase you prefer to keep this dish vegan or dairy free. If neither of these is an issue for you, the rind really adds a depth of flavor and I highly recommend using it.

    Turn your slow cooker down to low and cook for 8-12 hours. Towards the end of the cooking time, you can use an immersion blender if you want a smoother sauce. Serving chunky style is also delicious. Be sure to remove the Parmesan rind prior to blending or serving.

    a round white plate filled with penne pasta, sauce and topped with some melted parmesan cheese. A blurred salad is in the background

    Serving and storage suggestions

    Marinara sauce goes well with with so many things! Is is great as an ingredient in dishes such as chicken Parmesan, pizza chicken or pasta e fagioli. But it is equally as wonderful just topping a plate of pasta.

    Sauce can be stored in air tight containers. It will last in your refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months. Freezing in meal sized portions makes it an easy reheat and eat addition to any meal or recipe.

    Hints & hacks

    1. Almost all ingredients come straight from a can or jar making this an easy thing to throw together without having to make extra trips to the store.
    2. This recipe is fully vegetarian. To make it vegan or dairy free, leave out the Parmesan rind.
    3. This sauce deepens in flavor and just generally improves with time. Long and slow work best for this on for sure. While the cooking time is officially listed at 8 hours, you can cook it as long as 12.
    4. This is a perfect dish for days when your people will be eating at different times. After the cooking time, turn your slow cooker to warm (or have it automatically switch to warm if your slow cooker has this feature) and everyone can add some warm sauce to their plate when they are ready to eat. 
    5. I always recommend the use of a slow cooker liner. Of course, this is an optional step. I like to purchase my liners in bulk for a less expensive per-piece price.
    6. In the market for a new slow cooker? Here is the one I am currently lusting after.

    Great dishes for marinara sauce

    • Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteaks
    • Lazy Slow Cooker Parmesan Chicken Casserole
    • Lazy Slow Cooker Goulash
    • Lazy Philly Style Chicken Cheesesteak

    Frequently asked questions

    Can the cooking time be sped up?

    Yes, this dish can cook on high for 4-6 hours rather than low for 8-12. However, I don't recommend it. This flavor of this sauce seems to become richer with a low and slow cooking.

    Can this recipe be doubled?

    Yes! As long as your crockpot is large enough.

    What is the difference between marinara sauce and tomato sauce?

    Marinara sauce is traditionally a much simpler sauce to make with many less ingredients. However, all of the recipes on this site that call for tomato sauce as an ingredient work well with marinara sauce as an equal substitute.

    📖 Recipe

    Close up of a ladle filled with marinara with a crock of marana blurred in the background

    Lazy Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce Recipe

    Slow cooker marinara sauce is beyond delicious and you won't believe how easy it is to make. Perfect for pasta, chicken, meatballs and more. This simple recipe, made mostly from pantry staples, is great to make and freeze so you will always have some on hand.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 hours
    Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 82kcal
    Author: The Lazy slow cooker
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 6 qt slow cooker

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • 2 28 oz cans diced tomato (I like to buy the kind with onion and garlic in it for extra flavor, but this is optional)
    • 1 28 oz can crushed tomato
    • 1 14 oz can whole peeled tomato
    • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 1 tablespoon dried basil
    • 2-3 bay leaves
    • 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
    • 2-3 pieces Parmesan rind This is optional, but if you aren't vegan or dairy free, I think it really adds to the flavor.

    Instructions

    • Add first 3 ingredients into slow cooker and let them get started cooking on high while opening the cans and gathering all remaining ingredients together
    • add remaining ingredients and stir.
    • add Parmesan rinds if using (optional) and stir to incorporate
    • Turn slow cooker down to low and cook for 8 - 12 hours
    • remove cheese rinds and use immersion blender if you prefer a smoother consistency.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 808mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

    Follow us on Facebook

    Our latest on Instagram

    6 different images taken directly from instagram with 6 recipes that were posted there

    Have you tried this recipe? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below! 💗

    Close up of beef stroganoff with mushrooms and pasta

    Subscribe To Our Newsletter

    I'M IN!! SIGN ME UP FOR OCCASIONAL EMAILS FROM THE LAZY SLOW COOKER!

    You have Successfully Subscribed!

    More Side Dishes

    • Slow Cooker Cauliflower Soup (Dairy Free)
    • Slow Cooker Mushroom And Wild Rice Soup
    • Slow Cooker Carrot Ginger Soup
    • Slow Cooker Quinoa Stuffing (Dressing)
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    • Print

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Rick Roulston says

      August 10, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      Great recipe

      Reply
      • admin says

        August 10, 2020 at 2:49 pm

        Thank you!

    2. Cheryl Lauer says

      August 12, 2020 at 3:03 pm

      Hi ! So you can double it and still use a 6 qt. pot Can I use a 5qt. for a single batch?

      Reply
      • admin says

        August 12, 2020 at 6:18 pm

        You should be fine using a 5 qt for a single batch. I have never tried making a double batch so I am not sure if it would fit. Enjoy!!

    Primary Sidebar

    Photo of Susan, the lazy slow cooker holding a large margarita

    Welcome to The Lazy Slow Cooker. I am so happy you are here! My name is Susan (yep - I am Lazy Susan!) and I am the recipe developer/blogger behind these posts. I am the mom of three amazing but super busy kids and the wife of one awesome and also super busy guy. All 5 of us have very different schedules and I would not survive mealtime without my crockpot. Read More…

    Popular Posts

    • Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast
    • Slow Cooker Kielbasa & Potato Casserole
    • Slow Cooker Mandarin Orange Chicken
    • Lazy Slow Cooker Baba Ghanoush

    Subscribe To Our Newsletter

    You have Successfully Subscribed!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Lazy Slow Cooker, LLC