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You know what I love? Crock pot recipes. Specifically, crock pot recipes that make a HUGE batch (so you can freeze leftovers), and even better if they cook for something like 9+ hours so they can cook allllll day while I'm at work!
This recipe checks all of those boxes, and it's also healthy and super easy! You basically just brown a chuck roast, then throw it in a crock pot with a bunch of tomatoes, garlic, and spices, let it cook for 10-12 hours, and voila! Throw it on top of some zoodles, spaghetti squash, or regular pasta, and dinner is served!
Just a heads up - my crock pot is 6 quarts and this filled it right to the top! If your crock pot is smaller, go for a smaller roast and cut down on the canned tomatoes!
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Marinara with Zoodles
[Whole30 - Paleo - Gluten Free - Grain Free - Dairy Free]
Ingredients:
~3lb beef chuck roast or bottom round
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 28oz can tomato puree
2 6oz cans tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
dried basil, dried oregano, onion powder, salt
Optional: fresh basil
Instructions:
- Pre-heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a bit of olive oil and brown beef on all sides. Remove beef from skillet and add to slow cooker insert.
TIP: Slow cooker liners will make clean up WAYY easier. - Add all of the canned tomatoes and tomato paste along with the diced onion and minced garlic.
- TIP: If you want it to be more BEEFY (less saucy), reduce the canned tomatoes. As written, the recipe is a nice meaty sauce, but definitely a sauce!
- Sprinkle it all with herbs of your choosing -- I used dried basil and oregano along with some onion powder and salt.
TIP: You could also add some crushed red pepper for a spicy sauce, or some sugar if you like your sauce to be sweet! - Set crock pot to low and cook for 10 hours.
- Remove meat to a medium bowl and shred it (it should literally fall apart at this point), and remove any large chunks of fat or gristle.
- Add shredded meat back to the sauce in the crock pot. If you'd like to add fresh basil, do so now and allow the sauce to sit in the crock pot, set to "warm" while you prepare your zucchini noodles or spaghetti!
- Plate it up and serve!