Crockpot Brown Butter Marinara Sauce
This just kind of seemed like a Sunday recipe.
For one, it’s SO easy. Just throw everything in and go. No peeling tomatoes, no chopping and no splatters all over your stove. Then there is the fact that your house is gonna smell like an old Italian lady’s all day long.
It’s so good.
To be honest, I am not the biggest tomato sauce person.
I like it in lasagna, or when used as dipping sauce or sometimes even on sandwiches, but not normally with pasta. When I was a kid I always just choose pasta with butter and passed on the sauce. Of course this could have been my mother subconsciously influencing my decision. She apparently grew up on noodles and butter and still loves them to this day. Asher has decided to follow in her footsteps.
You want to know something funny though?
I have always been a good eater and am willing to try pretty much anything, but my brothers are a different story, especially Kai. To this day the kid has still never eaten a single piece of fruit and the only vegetables that have ever passed through his lips are tomatoes – and they’ve been in the form of pizza, pasta or ketchup. Oh and corn, he does love corn.
He is going to be eighteen in November and never a single fruit. Unless you count those sugary artificial fruit drinks, he loves those. Oh and remember these zucchini crusted chicken fingers? He did eat those, but he never knew he was eating zucchini.
Muhahaha (as I rub my hands together in an evil way)!
When we were younger he would always go for the red stuff and I would go for the butter. I think it is because I do not really enjoy warm tomatoes or maybe we just bought the cheapy sauce. Ok, we definitely bought the cheapy sauce. I just think it is funny, well not funny, more like ironic, that the vegetable, fruit hating kid went for the color and me, the kid who would munch on broccoli and carrots after school, went for the butter.
Such a funny story, right? Yeah, no. I am stopping.
I admit that when I set out to make this pasta sauce I had another dish in mind (oh, it’s coming), but it turned out so rich and delicious that I actually ended up serving some of it over pasta for dinner. The brown butter adds so much flavor and richness and when paired with the tomatoes it’s perfect.
I added some jalapeño pepper because I like a little kick, but that part is up to you. I also love adding some parmesan cheese right at the end, I highly recommend doing that part.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Crockpot Brown Butter Marinara Sauce
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: marinara sauce
A super tasty and easy marinara sauce
Ingredients
- 2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled, san marzano tomatoes
- 3/4 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes draind of the oil
- 1 sweet onion ends chopped off, peeled and sliced half
- 4 cloves garlic skin removed and crushed
- 6-8 pickled jalapeños (optional but it gives it just a a little kick)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper or less
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon butter
- 2-4 tablespoon fresh parmesan cheese optional
- fresh basil sliced
Instructions
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Add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeños (if using), basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon butter to the bowl of a crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or 3-4 hours on high) stirring once or twice if possible. After 8 hours remove the onion if you wish (I do, but some people love it left in). Use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to break down the tomatoes. If you like a smooth sauce use an immersion blender to puree the sauce or transfer to a blender or food processor and then return the sauce to the crockpot, leaving the lid off.
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In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan add the remaining butter, melt butter over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam, and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan and stir into the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. If desired stir in the parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
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If the sauce seems too thin allow it to cook 30 minutes longer with the lid off.
Told you it was good.
Your photography the past month or so has been EXPLODING off the charts with amazing-ness! Tieghan! Truly….such beautiful images! Are you doing anything differently? New equipment? Just….the clarity and the composition, I am so…in awe of how far you’ve come in 6-12 mos!
Wow, thanks Averie! Nothing different except some new boards and driving myself insane over my photos! I have actually been struggling with my light, I have too much! I know that sounds crazy, but my kitchen is surrounded with floor to ceiling windows and when it is sunny, there is just too much light and moving downstairs is a real pain. I am try to work on it, but I swear it is going to drive me insane. So many reshoots lately. Anyway, thank you so much! You have no idea how much that mean coming from a beautiful photographer like you. Made my day!
This marinara is lovely!! Such a fabulous recipe. And I agree with Averie – your photos rock!
Thank you so much, Katrina! That means a lot! 🙂
I’ve never made homemade sauce, but I think after I finish up the jars of store bought I have in my pantry I will definitely be making my own.
Thanks Kristi! This is so easy and delicious you will not want to go back!
Ok Tieghan you’ve done it again! This is going on the menu for this week. This look absolutley fabulous!
Thank you so much, Kathy!! Hope your family loves it!
I make homemade sauce (“gravy” to the Italians) but I’l be willing to give this a try. Sounds delish….like most of your recipes.
Thanks Rie! I have to sauce, I am not sure anything can beat true homemade italian pasta sauce! Let me know what you think, I hope you LOVE it!
I like the sound of an easy crockpot marinara sauce and with those sundried tomatoes this one would just be packed with flavour!
Thanks Kevin! I love adding sun-dried tomatoes to my sauce. It adds and awesome tomato flavor that canned tomatoes lack!
I’m not a big fan of tomato sauce in pasta either… but if it features brown butter, then I’m in. And the parmesan addition in the end is genius. I’m loving that as well!
Happy Sunday 🙂
Thanks Consuelo! Brown butter has a way of making everything better!
Wow! Just gorgeous and so inventive, Tieghan! Love this Marinara recipe using brown butter and must try it soon. Thank you for sharing and have a lovely Sunday! Pinning everywhere!
Thank you so much, Stacy!!
This sauce looks so good. My mom makes the best tomato sauce, but it is a TON of work. Boiling, peeling, chopping, mincing.. the whole process takes five hours at least, if not all day. But this sauce looks so simple!
I’m with you – I’ve never been much of a sauce person. Plain white pasta with butter and salt is like dessert for me; so insanely good.
Gorgeous photos! I especially love the last one. 🙂
Pinning this!
Thanks so much, Abbie!!
I love that you could make this in the crockpot – so easy!
Thanks Chung-Ah!
Once again, you’ve provided me with another reason why I need a crockpot. This looks so delicious! Great photos too 🙂
Thanks Laura! You need to get a crockpot, I still can’t believe you do not have one!
Um, wow. Brown butter in marinara. I love you Tieghan!
Haha! Thanks Dorothy!
Prettiest plate of pasta ever! I love the brown butter addition (and your light is so perfect in these photos!).
I’ve never made a crock pot sauce but this looks so simple I might have to give it a try. Really intrigued by the use of pickled jalapenos! Also I originally misread one sentence as, “….your house is gonna smell like an old Italian lady all day long.” I did a double take on that one, haha. 🙂
haha!! Not sure I would like that smell, LOL!
Thanks Katherine!
Gorgeous to the max! I love marinara and brown butter… so putting them together seems only natural! Brilliant!
Thank you, Laurie!!
Really? Browned butter AND marinara?! Two of my favorite things?!?! Ok this is going in the books of epic recipes to impress. Love it. Also, I agree with Averie–your photos are simply stunning!
Haha! Thank you so much, Erin! You are so sweet!
First of all, what an amazing invention the crock pot is. Secondly, I love tomato sauce and it couldn’t get any better than with sun-dried tomatoes and browned butter. There’s something about browned butter that makes pasta absolutely delicious. Always my favorite when I used to go to The Old Spaghetti Factory – pasta with browned butter and mizithra cheese. Thanks for the reminder of how good that is – I’ll have to try this recipe soon.
Thank you so much, Debra! Let me know if you do give this a try. Hope you love it!
Now I have a reason to buy some more sun dried tomatoes [I avoid it if I’m not recipe ready – my dh just eats the whole jar straight ;p]
We’ve been making Marcella Hazan’s recipe with the butter a lot this summer – but this sounds so like the dish I need for fall! And crockpot – love that now that I spend my dinner prep hours driving kids hither and yon!
Can’t wait to try it – will be leaving out the jalepenos cause we’re wimps LOL
Thanks Cherie!! I really hope you guys love this!
What a brilliant idea to add brown butter to marinara sauce!
Thanks so much, Jessica!
Oooohhh… I love brown butter! I absolutely need to try this!
Brown butter is the best!! Thanks Nessa!
Beautiful, beautiful photos!!! I love the wood, is it a table or just boards??
Thanks so much, Yammie!! It’s just some old board my dad found for me. It’s just boards, put together!
That’s exactly what I need! Looks great!
I already love brown butter in my baked goods, and now you’ve gone and added it to savory dishes. Genius!
Thanks Amanda!
My family and I loved this and look forward to making it again! We added some cream into it at the end and it was amazing! I featured it in my meal line up this week on my blog, thank you!
Thank so much for making this, Emily! SO happy you and your family loved it!
I am totally going to try this next week!
Thanks Deborah! Hope you love it! 🙂
I made this recipe and it is wonderful….
Holy crock pot obsession! You had me at brown buttahhh
Haha! Thanks Kita!
Wow! Thanks for sharing this recipe. The brown butter marinara sauce looks appetizing and the fact that your recipe is so easy, Definitely I’m gonna try this one.
Thank you!
This recipe is absolutely glorious. Tried it tonight and oh my god… The depth of flavor. I’m a college student living at home and I usually cook at least once a week for my family. We love pasta and marinara sauce, so this was an incredible twist on a classic. So rich and delicious, I cannot stop praising this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing! 😀 😀 😀
SO happy you and your family love this!!
Thank you so much, Kelsey!! 🙂
you truly have some amazing dishes.. I am on your site every single day. Learning. I am a cook in Canada, With a burning passion for food! Beautiful beautiful beautiful food on here!!
Thank you so much! I am so happy you are liking my site! 🙂
Hey, this looks delicious. I’d love to make it and I was wondering would you know if it would last long in the fridge?
Oh my! I think I am in love!!!! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
I made this last night and it was so easy! I only had two hours until dinner but cooked it on high and it was delicious. I love your use of unconventional ingredients. Thanks!
Awe!! THANK YOU! So happy you loved it!
Has anyone tried this with fresh plum tomatoes? I regularly get a supply of them in my produce box. Would love feedback on trying this with fresh tomatoes.
Today is the 8th time I’ve made this marinara…double batched each time! It freezes wonderfully and is the perfect lasagna marianara. Thank you Tieghan for my go-to recipe!
Awesome Jenifer!! Thanks so much!!
I make this all the time!! ..store some in the freezer. Good for days like today 18degrees in boston!
Wow! So cold! Absolutely a perfect day for this!
Hi. Might have missed it…but is it 2 cans tomatoes equalling 28 oz or two-28oz cans? The recipe says 2 ounce …..
Thank you!
so sorry! it is two 28 ounce cans. recipe is fixed!
Could I add a little bit of heavy cream to this, just to give it that creamy element? Or does it not work with this dish?
A little heavy cream will be amazing in this. I’d start with 1/4 cup or so and then add more as needed. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love these! 🙂
Made this today for a small neighborhood dinner for 10 with a bunch of kids. Everyone loved it. Only change I made was to use parsley stir-in paste from a tube. Served over fettuccine noodles. So easy. So delicious. Thanks!!
Have you tried making this with fresh tomatoes? I have a bunch from our garden and am looking for a good spaghetti sauce. I assume it wouldn’t be much different than stewed tomatoes?
We have loved all your recipes we have tried, thanks for sharing and congrats on your recipe book!!!
I think using fresh tomatoes sounds perfect!! I would use about 2 cups of roughly chopped tomatoes. What a great idea. Hope you enjoy the recipe and please let me know if you have other questions 🙂
I just came here to thank you for the recipe. I found it via pinterest and it is currently in my crockpot for the 3rd time. After the first meal, it became my go-to comfort marinara ever since. This is like “great grandma’s secret recipe passed down through the generations” quality…. and it’s ridiculously simple! Thank you for sharing it!
Ah thank you so much! I am really happy you enjoyed this!!
Could you make this in an instant pot or pressure cooker with the same awesome results?
Yes, for sure!! I’d cook on high pressure for 12-15 minutes. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
This is the best marinara sauce ever!!! I made it four times 🙂
Wow I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Monika!
Will you be adding steps for instant pot users?
Hey Bob! I will not be adding Instant pot directions. If you would like to make this in the instant pot, I recommend high pressure for 10 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This was absolutely loaded with savory flavor! I just returned from a trip to Croatia where I had so much food with sauces that tasted like this. I used it for a Zucchini and Eggplant casserole, and it was PERFECT!
Thank you Kristen! xTieghan
Hi! I have a bunch of summer tomatoes, can I use fresh in this recipe?!
Hey Danielle,
Yes, that would be so good! Let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love the recipe. Thank you! xTieghan
Can this be made in an instant pot (just got one for Christmas!)?
Hey Rosie,
I haven’t tested this, but I would recommend doing this on high pressure for 10 minutes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if I can help in any other way! Happy New Year! xTieghan