Copycat Olive Garden Three-Meat Sauce in the Crockpot

Copycat Olive Garden Meat Sauce

marilynpeight

This rich, slow-cooked three-meat sauce blends ground beef, Italian sausage and diced pepperoni with fresh vegetables and herbs. Cooked low and slow in a crockpot, the sauce develops a smooth, buttery texture and deep tomato flavor that’s ideal for pasta, spaghetti squash, zoodles or layered baked dishes.

Prep Time
30 minutes

Cook Time
6 hours

Course
Main Course

Cuisine
Italian

Servings
6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground Italian sausage mild or hot
1 cup pepperoni finely diced
1/3 cup diced carrots
3 minced garlic cloves
2/3 cup onion white or yellow
1/4 cup diced celery (optional)
1 1/2 cup diced tomato (see note below)
1 1/2-2 tablespoons finely diced fresh herbs or Italian seasoning (see note below)
6 ounces tomato paste
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage together in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain off excess fat. Transfer the browned meat to a 3–4 quart crockpot and add the finely diced pepperoni.
2. Add the diced carrots, celery (if using), chopped onion, diced tomatoes, minced garlic and the fresh herbs (or dried Italian seasoning) to the crockpot with the meat. If you prefer a smoother sauce, dice the vegetables small so they cook down and blend into the sauce.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the tomato paste with the water until smooth. Stir in the salt (or wait to season at the end). Pour this mixture over the meat and vegetables and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours, stirring occasionally. The low, slow cook lets the flavors meld into a rich, buttery sauce.

Notes

Tomato selection: Use ripe, juicy tomatoes when possible. Riper tomatoes release more liquid and deepen the sauce flavor. If, after cooking, the sauce is thicker than you like, stir in additional water or tomato juice a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Herbs: A mix of fresh basil, oregano, parsley and thyme works very well here. You can substitute dried Italian seasoning if fresh herbs aren’t available—start conservatively and adjust to taste. Feel free to omit or swap herbs according to personal preference.

Pepperoni texture: Dice the pepperoni finely for a smoother sauce or leave larger pieces for more texture and pronounced cured-meat flavor. This ingredient contributes savory depth and a slightly buttery mouthfeel as it cooks down.

Make ahead and storage: This sauce keeps well refrigerated for several days and freezes beautifully. For a larger batch, double the meat and freeze half for future sauces.

Keyword
copycat recipe, Olive Garden, meat sauce

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Let us know how it turned out in the comments.

Serve this sauce over cooked spaghetti or your favorite pasta, spoon it over roasted spaghetti squash or zoodles, or use it as a filling for stuffed shells or baked pasta dishes. The sauce is versatile and pairs well with both fresh and dried pasta shapes.

Step 1: Brown the sausage and ground beef together. When the meat is fully cooked, drain excess fat and transfer the meat to the crockpot with the minced pepperoni.

Pepperoni, ground beef and Italian sausage: Dice the pepperoni finely for a smoother consistency or leave it chunkier for texture. If you make extra browned meat, it freezes well and is handy for future sauces.

Step 2: Add carrots, celery, onion, tomato, garlic and herbs to the meat. Chop ingredients to your preferred size; smaller pieces will break down more during the long cook for a smoother sauce.

Note on tomatoes: Tomatoes vary in juiciness—use ripe tomatoes for more liquid and deeper flavor. If the sauce seems too thick after several hours, stir in a little water or tomato juice until it reaches the consistency you prefer.

Substitution for fresh herbs: Dried Italian seasoning works as a substitute but add it gradually and taste as you go. Adjust herb combinations to suit personal preference.

Step 3: Whisk tomato paste with water and salt until smooth, pour over the meat and vegetables, stir, then cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours. The mixture may look dry at first; as the vegetables release their juices and flavors meld, the sauce becomes luscious and saucy.

Cooking tips: If after 4–5 hours the sauce is thinner or thicker than you like, adjust with a splash of water or an extra spoonful of paste. Crockpot performance varies, so check your sauce and adjust seasoning just before serving.

Cook on low for 5–6 hours, then let cool slightly and serve over your choice of pasta, squash or vegetable noodles. This sauce stores well in the refrigerator for several days and freezes for longer-term use.

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