Slow cooked spaghetti sauce with meatballs , Bucatini

Slow-cooked spaghetti sauce with Italian sausage and meatballs is a classic and delicious dish that’s perfect for family gatherings or a comforting meal at home. Here’s a simple recipe to help you make this flavorful dish:

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

• 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot, based on your preference)
• 1 pound ground beef or pork
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 (14-ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
• 2 (6-ounce) cans of tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

To Serve:

• Bucatini pasta
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, brown the Italian sausage and ground beef over medium-high heat. Break it apart with a spatula as it cooks. Once it’s browned, drain any excess fat.
2. In a large slow cooker, combine the browned meat, chopped onion, minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together.
3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. The longer it cooks, the richer and more flavorful the sauce will be.
4. About 30 minutes before serving, prepare the meatballs. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, milk, chopped parsley, egg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
5. Form the mixture into meatballs, about 1-2 inches in diameter.
6. In a large skillet, heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
7. Once the meatballs are browned, add them to the slow cooker with the sauce.
8. Continue to cook the sauce and meatballs for the remaining time in the slow cooker.
9. When the sauce is ready, prepare the bucatini pasta according to the package instructions.
10. Serve the slow-cooked sauce, Italian sausage, meatballs, and bucatini pasta together, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley.

Enjoy your delicious slow-cooked spaghetti sauce with Italian sausage and meatballs served over bucatini!