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WW Recipe of the Day: Low Sugar Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce
Marinara sauce is one of my favorite ingredients to have on hand for quick and easy meals.
When you don’t have the time to cook tomato sauce from scratch, jarred marinara sauce is life-saver. I always have a jar or two in the pantry. But I’ve learned to read the ingredient and nutritional labels to avoid unnecessary extra sugar, fat and calories.
As a Lifetime Weight Watcher, I am always on the lookout for a brand that tastes good for the fewest Points and a reasonable price. I like Classico Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce. A good value, a jar usually costs $3 or less and each 1/2 cup serving has just 2 WW Points.
Making homemade marinara is almost as easy as jarred, especially when you use your slow cooker. And because it has much less sugar, each serving of this easy healthy marinara has just 1 WW Point.
This simple slow cooker marinara sauce is perfect for busy days since the longer it simmers, the better it is.
I used my new favorite slow cooker, my Instant Pot (affiliate link), to whip up a batch recently. I love that I can saute and slow cook all in the same pot.
The leftovers can be portioned out and frozen for future quick and easy meals.
Recipe Notes
This simple low sugar marinara sauce can be used so many ways – over pasta, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash, to top homemade pizza or chicken parmesan, in your favorite lasagna or as a dipping sauce for pepperoni pizza muffins or crispy baked zucchini sticks.
It’s a great basic recipe that can be adapted to suit your tastes I have included some of my favorite ideas for embellishing it.
How Many Calories and WW Points in Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce?
According to my calculations, each 1/2-cup serving has about 50 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
1 SmartPoints (Green plan)
1 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
1 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
1 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Recipe Variations
Zestier: add dried spices such as oregano, basil, Italian Seasoning, fennel seed, more garlic, capers, chopped anchovies, balsamic vinegar (stirred in at the end).
Chunkier: use 1 can crushed tomatoes and 1 can diced tomatoes.
Meaty: add cooked crumbled ground beef, pork, turkey, chicken or sausage.
More vegetables: add chopped zucchini, sliced mushrooms, sliced olives, chopped spinach, etc.
Fishy: stir in tuna, anchovies, shrimp, scallops, etc (at the end).
Cheesy: stir in grated Parmesan (at the end).
Creamy: stir in a bit of cream or evaporated milk (at the end).
If you like this slow cooker marinara sauce, be sure to check out my other easy, Weight Watchers friendly recipes including Pasta Puttanesca, Slow Cooker Meatballs and Sauce, Crock Pot Cajun Pasta Sauce, Chicken Parmesan Lasagna and Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
If you’ve made this Low Sugar Crock Pot Marinara Sauce, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 cans (about 28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Ideal slow cooker size: 4- Quart.
- Place oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning.
- Scrape the vegetable mixture into the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes and sugar. Stir well to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Remove cover and stir well.
- Cook on HIGH uncovered for 1 hour for a thicker marinara sauce.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 1 SmartPoints (Green plan) 1 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 1 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 1 PointsPlus (Old plan) Variations:
- Zestier: add dried spices such as oregano, basil, Italian Seasoning, fennel seed, more garlic, capers, chopped anchovies, balsamic vinegar (at the end).
- Chunkier: use 1 can crushed tomatoes and 1 can diced tomatoes.
- Meaty: add cooked crumbled ground beef, pork, turkey, chicken or sausage.
- More vegetables: add chopped zucchini, sliced mushrooms, sliced olives, chopped spinach, etc.
- Fishy: stir in tuna, anchovies, shrimp, scallops, etc (at the end).
- Cheesy: stir in grated Parmesan (at the end).
- Creamy: stir in a bit of cream or evaporated milk (at the end).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly Revised and Updated: 600 Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker (affiliate link) by Phyllis Good
Watch Phyllis from Fix-It and Forget-It as she shows you how she likes to make her own slow cooker marinara sauce:
More Easy Recipes for Weight Watchers with Marinara Sauce
- Zucchini Marinara Pasta Swap (HungryGirl)
- Slow Cooker Rustic Italian Marinara Sauce (TheYummyLife)
- Creamy Marinara Sauce (DashingDish)
- Italian Potato Skins (HungryGirl)
- Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Skillet (Cookin’Canuck)
- Quick Marinara Sauce (SkinnyTaste)
- Simple Summertime Fresh Roasted Marinara Sauce (Skinny Kitchen)
- Shrimp and Slaw Marinara (HungryGirl)
My go to recipe for marinara sauce!!
Anytime I make marinara sauce, I substitute a shredded carrot for sugar. The natural sweetness is just right and doesn’t add any points.
Great tip Sandy. Thanks for sharing!
I signed up for your recipes some time ago, and even paid for my membership, however I never received anything from you.
Hi Harriet, I don’t have a paid membership here on Simple Nourished Living, just a signup for free emails with recipes and other weight loss tips & hints. I sell eBooks but they are a one time purchase that you download. Hope this helps. Warmly, Martha
Martha., you’ve shared some really yummy marinara recipes. Thanks so much for including my Simple Summertime Fresh Roasted Marinara Sauce on your list!
With my warmest regards,
Nancy