2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the spaghetti/serving:
1/2 lb. dry, uncooked spaghetti
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves
Instructions
For the sauce:
In a large skillet set to medium-high heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add ground beef, onion and garlic. Cook until onions and garlic are fragrant and softened, and beef is browned (crumbling as you cook), about 7-9 minutes. Deglaze pan with red cooking wine and bring to a simmer. Cook down liquid to about half, simmering for 2-3 minutes. Transfer cooked mixture to your slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients into the slow cooker, except for spaghetti. Cook on High for 3-4 Hours, or Low for 6-8 hours.
For the spaghetti/serving:
Set a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions for al dente (soft but slightly firm), about 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add 2-1/2 cups of the sauce to the pasta, tossing gently to coat.
Using tongs, serve spaghetti into individual bowls and top with more sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves, if desired.
Enjoy!
Notes
This sauce freezes well, too! Allow to cool overnight then freeze in small portions (you can even use an ice cube tray for this step).Disclosure: This recipe was created for Holland House Cooking Wines. All opinions are my own.