Over The Top Spaghetti Sauce
This Over The Top Spaghetti Sauce recipe is named for the cooking method used on the smoker or Traeger pellet grill.
Although I will say it’s over the top delicious as well.
There’s a viral recipe for smoked over the top chili, which got me curious about using the same method for my pasta sauce.
Keep reading for more info, my friends, because you’ll want to make this recipe ASAP!
How to make Over The Top Spaghetti Sauce
Even though this finishes on the smoker or pellet grill, it starts on the stove in a pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
First add some olive oil, a large diced onion, kosher salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Cook the onion for 5 to 6 minutes and then add some fresh minced garlic.
And cook another minute.
Then add two 24 ounce jars of pasta sauce, I used Traditional Prego for convenience (or admitted laziness after a busy day of momming and working to save myself a little sanity 😉 ).
But if you have a homemade pasta sauce recipe, that would be even better!
I always add a little water to the empty jars, shake, and pour the rest in the pot.
Season with a tablespoon of Italian seasoning, kosher salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Then just give this a stir and remove from the heat.
Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 250 degrees and place the pot or Dutch oven on the grill grate.
Then add a wire rack or small grill grate over top (mine was from my toaster oven).
Brush with olive oil and add a pound of ground Italian sausage.
This will smoke for 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 250 degrees, no need to stir or anything.
If you have a pellet grill, you can start this at 180 degrees on super smoke for the first 30 minutes for more smoky flavor if desired.
Over The Top Spaghetti Sauce is almost done!
Smoked meat tends to have a pink color still, so I made sure the internal temp was above 145 degrees.
Then carefully remove from the smoker.
Finally, break apart the sausage and add it to the sauce.
I wore heat proof gloves and tore pieces by hand.
You could also chop this or let the meat cool before breaking it apart.
Serve over cooked pasta with parmesan cheese for a spectacular dinner 🙂
If you like Over The Top Spaghetti Sauce, you might also like these recipes…
Smoked Pepperoni Pizza Dip
Little Smokies Stuffed Jalapenos
Smoked Lemonade Chicken Thighs
Traeger Flatbread Pizza Recipes
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Over The Top Spaghetti Sauce
Equipment
- Traeger/Pellet Grill
- Smoker
- wire rack or small grill grate
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little more for the wire rack)
- 1 large onion (or 2 small onions) diced
- kosher salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 to 7 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 24 ounce jars pasta sauce of choice (I used Prego for convenience, but if you have a homemade sauce use that)
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- Optional: cooked pasta of choice, parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Set a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat on the stove. Add the olive oil, onion, kosher salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the Italian seasoning, more kosher salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and pasta sauce. Stir until combined and set aside.Note: Add a little water to the empty pasta jars, shake, and pour in the sauce to get it all out of the jar.
- Set your smoker or pellet grill to 250 degrees. Put the pot or Dutch oven on the grate. Place a wire rack or small grill grate over the pot. Brush the center with some olive oil and place the Italian sausage on the rack over the pasta sauce.Note: If you have a pellet grill you can start it at 180 degrees on super smoke for extra smoky flavor if desired, then turn the heat up to 250 after 30 minutes.
- Let this cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Then add the cooked Italian sausage into the sauce, crumbling/ breaking it apart and stirring together. Note: I wore heat proof gloves and broke into small pieces by hand.
- Serve over cooked pasta with parmesan cheese if desired.
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