• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Eats Amazing logo

  • Recipes
    • Recipes
    • Fun Food Tutorials
    • Easy Recipes for Kids
  • Lunches
    • Lunch Packing Advice
    • Packed Lunch Ideas
    • Free Printable Lunchbox Notes
  • Seasonal
  • About
    • About
    • Work With Me
    • Content Creation
    • Contact
    • Eats Amazing in the News
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Cookie Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Fun Food
  • Seasonal / Holiday
  • Lunches
  • About
  • Shop
  • Shop - Cart
  • Shop - Checkout
  • Shop - My Account
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Family Friendly Recipes » Family Meals

    Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese with Hidden Vegetables Recipe

    Apr 16, 2018 · 2 Comments

    402 shares
    • 28

    Today's recipe for my ultimate hidden-veg-stuffed, slow-cooker bolognese is one that I've literally been intending to share with you for years now!

    This easy hidden vegetable bolgonese is a real staple family meal that I make very regularly, if only because it's the one meal I can absolutely guarantee that my entire family will gobble down and ask for more, even my fussy 4 year old.

    Slow Cooker Bolognese stuffed with hidden veggies - family friendly kid approved family meal recipe from Eats Amazing UK

    I have to confess that I got as far as taking photos of this recipe a few years ago, but the light was dying at the time and the photos came out horribly, so I couldn't bear to share them!

    I'm pleased to have finally managed to do my bolognese recipe justice with my somewhat improved photography skills and I even manged to film the making of the recipe this time, so you can see the full rainbow of vegetables that disappear into the slow cooker and magically turn into this yummy bolognese!

    Slow Cooker Bolognese - full of hidden veggies - kid friendly family meal recipe from Eats Amazing UK

    I usually make a really big batch of this bolognese sauce, which can be split into two or three meals (depending on your family size), with the leftovers frozen or kept in the fridge for two or three days to eat again later in the week.

    I also use this as the base for other dishes - it's great for adding to a pasta bake or a lasagne and can even be turned into a curry - check out my leftover bolognese curry recipe!

    You can easily adapt this recipe to suit your needs - skip some of the vegetables or add different ones depending on what you have to hand - celery, aubergine and/or sweetcorn make great additions for example.

    Family Friendly Slow Cooker Bolognese with Hidden Vegetables Recipe - easy meal kids will love from Eats Amazing UK

    Slow Cooker Bolognese with Hidden Vegetables

    Ingredients (serves 8 with leftovers):

    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • 2 onions
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1kg lean minced beef
    • 2 red or yellow peppers or one of each.
    • 1 courgette
    • 1 carrot
    • 250g mushrooms
    • 3 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
    • 2 beef stock cubes
    • 3 Tbsp tomato purée
    • 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
    • 1 Tbsp dried mixed Italian herbs
    • salt & pepper to taste

    Method: 

    Peel and chop the onions. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

    In a large frying pan, heat the oil then fry the onions until soft, adding the garlic for the last minute of cooking. Tip onions and garlic into the slow cooker.

    In the same frying pan, fry the beef mince in the remaining oil until browned all over. You may need to do this in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of your frying pan.

    As soon each batch of meat is browned, tip it into the slow cooker.

    Prepare the rest of the fresh vegetables; de-seed and chop the peppers, grate the courgette, grate the carrot, chop the mushrooms (the finer the better for picky children!).  Once prepped, add each vegetable to the slow cooker.

    How to make Slow Cooker Bolognese with hidden veggies - kid friendly family meal recipe from Eats Amazing UK - a rainbow of veg

    Pour in the 3 tins of tomatoes, crumble in the stock cubes and add the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce and herbs to the slow cooker.

    Mix well until all of the bolognese ingredients are well combined in the slow cooker.

    Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low or 3 hours on high.

    Once cooked, give the bolognese a good stir and season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Serve with cooked spaghetti, a sprinkling of cheese and fresh basil to garnish (optional).

    Enjoy!

    Note: You won't need to add any liquid other than the tinned tomatoes as the vegetables will release a lot of their own liquid. You may even need to drain off a little excess liquid at the end. To do this, just scoop it up from where it has pooled at the edges with a large spoon before stirring the bolognese.

    How to make Slow Cooker Bolognese with hidden veggies - kid friendly family meal recipe from Eats Amazing UK

    For more easy family friendly dinner ideas and recipes like this one, check out the Family Friendly Meals section here on the Eats Amazing blog or pop over and follow the Eats Amazing recipes Pinterest board for fresh and seasonal inspiration all the year around!

    Do you have any favourite slow cooker meals? I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!

    Grace

    How to make Slow Cooker Bolognese with hidden veggies - kid friendly family meal recipe from Eats Amazing UK
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Slow Cooker Bolognese with Hidden Vegetables

    This easy slow cooker bolognese is stuffed full of hidden vegetables for a healthy kid-friendly meal the whole family will love! 
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time3 hours hrs
    0 minutes mins
    Total Time3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 8 people
    Author: Grace Hall

    Ingredients

    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • 2 onions
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 kg lean minced beef
    • 2 red or yellow peppers or one of each.
    • 1 courgette
    • 1 carrot
    • 250 g mushrooms
    • 3 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
    • 2 beef stock cubes
    • 3 Tbsp tomato purée
    • 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
    • 1 Tbsp dried mixed Italian herbs
    • salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Peel and chop the onions. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
    • In a large frying pan, heat the oil then fry the onions until soft, adding the garlic for the last minute of cooking. Tip onions and garlic into the slow cooker.
    • In the same frying pan, fry the beef mince in the remaining oil until browned all over. You may need to do this in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of your frying pan.
    • As soon each batch of meat is browned, tip it into the slow cooker.
    • Prepare the rest of the fresh vegetables; de-seed and chop the peppers, grate the courgette, grate the carrot, chop the mushrooms (the finer the better for picky children!).  Once prepped, add each vegetable to the slow cooker.
    • Pour in the 3 tins of tomatoes, crumble in the stock cubes and add the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce and herbs to the slow cooker.
    • Mix well until all of the bolognese ingredients are well combined in the slow cooker.
    • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low or 3 hours on high.
    • Once cooked, give the bolognese a good stir and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Serve with cooked spaghetti, a sprinkling of cheese and fresh basil to garnish (optional).

    Video

    Notes

    Note: You won't need to add any liquid other than the tinned tomatoes as the vegetables will release a lot of their own liquid. You may even need to drain off a little excess liquid at the end. To do this, just scoop it up from where it has pooled at the edges with a large spoon before stirring the bolognese.

    Want to try this recipe? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!

     

    This kid friendly slow cooker bolognese recipe is stuffed full of hidden vegetables and is a great healthy dinner idea for the whole family #dinnerrecipes #slowcooker #kidsfood #crockpot #slowcookerrecipes #familyfood #dinner #dinnertime #hiddenveggies #hiddenvegetables #hiddenveg #easyrecipe #healthykids

    « How to Make LEGO Food Picks
    Fun Party Food Idea: Easy LEGO Fruit Blocks »
    402 shares
    • 28

    Search for a recipe or tutorial

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angela Harris says

      October 22, 2018 at 1:13 pm

      5 stars
      I've got everything in the slow cooker but I've substituted the beef mince with Quorn mince meat (son's a veggie n I actually prefer the Quorn mince) put the heat switch on high for 3 hrs as recommended then will turn it to the warm setting as soon as it's cooked he will be wanting to eat it.
      I will let you know how it is later.
      Angela

      Reply
      • Grace Hall says

        October 28, 2018 at 8:14 am

        Thank you for commenting, I hope you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *






    Copyright © 2025 · Eats Amazing

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.