Easy Spaghetti Bolognese

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This pasta sauce could not be simpler to prepare. After you combine the ingredients in a slow cooker, the sauce simmers to savory perfection, ready to be tossed with cooked spaghetti.

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 lb. ground beef
  • 6 oz. tomato paste
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,
      plus more for serving
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb. spaghetti, cooked, water reserved

Directions:

In the stovetop-safe insert of a slow cooker over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Spoon off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp. of the salt and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and the remaining 1 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, milk and the 1/3 cup cheese.

Place the insert on the slow-cooker base. Cover and cook on low according to the manufacturers instructions until the sauce thickens, about 4 hours. Skim the fat off the sauce. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce along with enough pasta-cooking water to loosen the sauce and toss to combine. Transfer to individual bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.