Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 2 lbs ground chuck (80/20 is what I use)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 5-7 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (26 oz) jar of marinara sauce, your favorite brand
  • 1 (15 oz) can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • pinch of sugar, to counteract the acidity of the canned tomatoes
  • 8 oz dried spaghetti pasta, broken into thirds
  • 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • fresh parsley or basil, minced, (for garnish)
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese, (for garnish)

Instruction

  • Heat a large skillet over MED to MED-HIGH heat with a small drizzle of oil.  Add ground beef and onion and cook 5-6 minutes, until beef is cooked through, crumbling as you cook.  Drain meat/onion mixture and return to skillet.
  • Reduce heat to MED-LOW, add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, water, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, thyme, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar.  Stir to combine well.
  • Spoon meat mixture into lightly greased 6 quart slow cooker.  Top with broken spaghetti and stir together.  Top with shredded cheese, cover and cook on LOW 4 hours.
  • Serve garnished with fresh parsley or basil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese if desired.