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Slow Cooker Turkey Meat Sauce
Ditch the jarred stuff for a rich, meaty pasta sauce that simmers away while you go about your day. Ground turkey and Italian turkey sausage blend with crushed tomatoes, red wine, and aromatic vegetables for a deep, savory flavor. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting to develop a thick texture that clings perfectly to your favorite noodles. It makes a large batch, perfect for feeding a hungry family on a busy weeknight or freezing for later.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped onion
- ¾ cup finely chopped carrot
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 lb. Italian ground turkey sausage, casings removed
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- ¾ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
- 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- 1Place the ground turkey and the sausage meat (casings removed) into a skillet over medium heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat apart as it browns until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat, then move the cooked meat into a slow cooker. Pour in the red wine, chopped onion, carrot, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and the bay leaf, stirring well to combine.
- 2Secure the lid on the slow cooker and set the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer gently for 8 hours to build flavor. Spoon the finished meat sauce generously over freshly cooked spaghetti. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves before eating.