Chunky Homemade Marinara Sauce (Slow Cooker)

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This homemade Marinara Sauce is super simple to make right in your slow cooker for a rich, simmered-all-day flavor. It can be used in place of jar sauce and tastes SO much better!

This Marinara sauce is so incredibly easy to make, especially since you can just dump ingredients in the slow cooker and walk away. Yes. Those are the recipe steps.

Made with onions, garlic, canned tomatoes, roasted red peppers and seasonings, this marinara sauce has an incredible fresh, slow cooked flavor that rivals that of store bought jarred sauces (and this Instant Pot Bolognese we love too). And it's so easy to make, you'll never have to buy it again!

And it's just amazing served as a dipping sauce for appetizers like these air fryer cheese curds, air fryer mozzarella sticks or toasted ravioli!

The Ingredients

The best tomatoes to use for this recipe are canned Marzano tomatoes (affiliate link). However, any kind can be used. I have found the best results with the Marzano's though.

Fresh basil is also recommended, but basil paste will work in a pinch if you can't find fresh (affiliate link). For some reason, my grocery store only has fresh basil stocked sometimes, and I keep killing my basil plants...

The roasted red peppers in this sauce give it a touch of sweet and smoky. If you don't want to roast your own red peppers, you can also buy them already roasted (affiliate link).

Step By Step Instructions

I use a slow cooker with a timer so I can set it to turn off after a period of time, which is ultra convenient. Try this one from Crock Pot (affiliate link).

Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

I just LOVE this sauce served with this air fryer ravioli!

How to Roast Red Peppers

Cut red peppers in half and remove veins and seeds. Roast over a burner (gas stove), in the broiler, or on a grill until the skin is charred. Let them cool and dice them in small pieces.

Expert Tips

1. While San Marzano tomatoes have the best flavor, any canned tomatoes will work well;
2. If you're in a hurry, you can cook on high for 4 hours, but I recommend the low and slow method for the best slow-cooked flavor;
3. If you want a smooth sauce, puree it after you finish cooking (use a regular blender or an immersion blender);
4. Substitute butter for the olive oil for an ultra rich and velvety sauce.

Serving and Use Options

There are so many more uses than just putting this sauce on spaghetti...

• Use it over spaghetti or any other type of pasta like this Vegetarian Lasagna;
• It's great used as a pizza sauce;
• Add some browned ground beef, pork, turkey or lamb to make a meaty sauce;
• Any vegetables can be added to make this a heartier spaghetti sauce - try eggplant, zucchini, squash, carrots, etc.
• Dip these Homemade Bread Sticks in it;
• It would be heavenly on Chicken or this air fryer eggplant parmesan.

Storage Instructions

You can store it in seal-able jars for up to 5 days.

Freezing Instructions

This sauce makes a lot and is perfect for freezing! I like to freeze in 1 cup portions so I can just take out a portion at a time. Freeze in airtight container(s) for up to 3 months (freezer bags work great for convenience). Thaw in the fridge overnight then heat on the stove or in the microwave.

You May Like These Other Italian Recipes

If you're a fan of this marinara sauce, you'll probably love these recipes too:

• You may want to browse all the Italian Recipes if that's your thing;
• Creamy Tortellini Soup;
• Mushroom Lasagna;
• Linguine with Clam Sauce;
• Shrimp Risotto;
• Shrimp Scampi Tortellini.

Did you make this marinara sauce recipe? rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out!