Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese delivers 35g protein and 542 calories per serving with minimal active prep time before the slow cooker finishes the work. Batch-preps 8 servings, extending your meal-prep window and reducing nightly cooking demands. Protein-forward enough to support muscle gain when distributed across your daily meals.
Ingredients
- •Olive oil(15g)
Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.
- •Yellow Onion
- •Garlic(15g)
- •90/10 Ground Beef(907g)
- •Wine, Red, Table(120g)
- •Tomato, Canned, Crushed(1588g)
- •Low Sodium Beef Broth(240g)
- •Tomato Paste(90g)
- •Carrots
- •Beef bouillon cube(15g)
- •2-3 teaspoons salt (adjust to your taste)
- •Oregano, Dried(10g)
- •Basil, Fresh(10g)
- •Sugar, Granulated White(5g)
- •1 pinch cracked pepper (to taste)
- •Parsley, Fresh(60g)
- •Pasta, Spaghetti, White, Dry(482g)
Instructions
- 1Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- 2Brown beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until just beginning to brown (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker bowl.
- 3Return the skillet to the stove; pour in the wine while scraping any bits of the fried meat from the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and transfer to the slow cooker bowl.
- 4To the slow cooker bowl, add in the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, tomato paste, carrot, stock powder (or crushed bouillon cubes), salt, oregano, basil, sugar and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or high for 3-4 hours. Add in the chopped parsley before serving.
- 5In the last 15 minutes of cooking time, boil pasta in salted water following packet instructions.
- 6Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Pour the reserved water back into the pasta along with 2 cups cooked bolognese sauce. Stir until the sauce is thick enough to coat the pasta.
- 7Serve with parmesan cheese and (extra) chopped parsley, if desired.
Nutrition — Per Serving
542
calories
35g
protein
15g
fat
- Carbohydrates
- 65g
- Saturated fat
- 5.0g
- Sodium
- 949 mg
- Dietary fiber
- 7.0g
8 servings per batch · ~445g each
Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central
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How much protein does Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese have per serving?
Each serving contains 35g of protein and 542 calories with 15g fat and 65g carbs. The high carb content makes this a carb-forward meal suitable for fueling before or after strength training.
How long does Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese take to prep?
Quick prep time with 8 servings per batch makes this one of the most efficient recipes for feeding a full week of dinners. You're getting multiple meals from a single slow cooker session.
Is Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese good for muscle gain?
At 542 calories and 65g carbs per serving, this recipe works well during a muscle-building phase when you need carbohydrates to fuel workouts and support recovery. The 35g protein per serving contributes to your daily total, though you'll want additional protein sources if chasing 180g+ daily.
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