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WW SmartPoints Recipe of the Day: Slow Cooker Sausage Spaghetti Sauce
I've had a hankering for spaghetti for a while now.
I had so much success making marinara sauce in the slow cooker, I decided to try it again, this time using sweet Italian chicken sausage from the freezer.
WW Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce with Sausage - 2 Freestyle SmartPoints
This slow cooker sausage spaghetti sauce can be changed any number of ways.
It's really hard to make a bad pot of spaghetti sauce and mine rarely turns out the same way twice.
Which is fine since I'm not cooking for a restaurant 🙂
This made a big batch - perfect for feeding a crowd or freezing in smaller portions for future quick and easy meals.
I shared this slow cooker spaghetti meat sauce with Mom, my brother, and my neighbor, Pat. Everyone gave it hearty praise.
Skinny Sausage Spaghetti Sauce
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Sausage Spaghetti Sauce?
According to my calculations, each serving of sauce has 86 calories and:
2 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
2 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
2 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
2 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
I served mine the traditional way, with spaghetti, but you could of course, substitute any shape pasta, spaghetti squash or even zucchini noodles, if you're so inclined.
A combination of spaghetti + spaghetti squash is really satisfying too. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
vegetarian/vegan - substitute chopped mushrooms for the sausage
different meats - use whatever ground meat you prefer or a combination
spicier - add more dried Italian spices (basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme) and pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes
chunkier - substitute diced tomatoes for one of the can of crushed
more veg - add chopped mushroom, more bell pepper, chopped zucchini, etc.
If you like this skinny slow cooker (I used my InstantPot) spaghetti sauce with sausage, be sure to check out my other easy, healthy Weight Watchers friendly slow cooker recipes including Crock-Pot Cajun Pasta Sauce, Gluten-Free Pasta Alla Puttanesca, , 5-Ingredient Chicken Parmesan Lasagna and Olive Garden Slow Cooker Pasta fa*gioli Make-Over
Are You Ready To Slow Cook Yourself Slim?
If you've made this Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce with Sausage, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Sausage Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Now that I've begun making my spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker, I don't think I'll ever use the stovetop again!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time8 hours hrs
Total Time8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Servings (adjustable): 23
Calories: 86
Author: Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet Italian Chicken sausage (Substitute turkey sausage if it's easier to find)
- ½ cup chopped onion (optional)
- ½ bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (I used jarred)
- 2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-Quart. (I used my InstantPot.)
Cook the chicken sausage in a large skillet (affiliate link) set over medium heat, until crumbled and slightly browned.
Add the garlic, onion and bell pepper if using and cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion softens slightly.
Scrape the sausage mixture into the slow cooker.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and seasonings. Stir to combine. (My crushed tomatoes were really thick, so I also added 1 cup of water.)
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
Recipe Notes
Variations:
- vegetarian/vegan - substitute chopped mushrooms for the sausage
- different meats - use whatever ground meat you prefer or a combination
- spicier - add more dried Italian spices (basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme) and pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes
- chunkier - substitute diced tomatoes for one of the can of crushed
- more veg - add chopped mushroom, more bell pepper, chopped zucchini, etc.
Serving size: ½ cup
Click here to see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site.
2 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
2 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
2 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
2 *PointsPlus (Old plan)2
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Sausage Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 /2 cup)
Calories 86Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 3g12%
Protein 11g22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: crock pot pasta sauce, skinny spaghetti sauce
Did you make this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving on Instagram and tag #simplenourishedliving - we love to see your creations!
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
More Weight Watchers Friendly Italian Recipes
- Zucchini Noodles with Simple Bolognese Sauce (EatYourselfSkinny)
- Skinny Penne Alla Vodka Sauce (SkinnyKitchen)
- Italian Turkey Meatloaf Parmesan (OrganizeYourselfSkinny)
- Baby Pasta Shells with Asparagus & Marinara Sauce (SkinnyTaste)
- Tomato Basil Spaghetti Squash with Sausage (SlenderKitchen)
- Spaghetti Squash with meat RagĂą (SkinnyTaste)
- Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna (SlenderKitchen)
- Italian-Style Stuffed Red Peppers (DashingDish)
Here's another easy recipe for meat-lover's slow cooker spaghetti sauce from All Recipes that looks delicious. Though the SmartPoints are sure to be higher since it calls for both ground beef and Italian pork sausage, it provides a nice visual look at the steps involved in making meat-based spaghetti sauce in your slow cooker:
Discover More Weight Watchers Friendly Crock Pot Recipes
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
More about Martha McKinnon
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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