These easy Crock-Pot pasta dishes are perfect for those long, cold winter days when all you really want to do is hunker down and watch Netflix cooking shows (or, you know, when you have to go to work). Generally speaking, pasta isn’t ever the sort of dish you turn to when you’re looking for a big, complicated cooking project. There are some exceptions, like lasagna. But for the most part, it’s a go-to when you want a quick dinner on the table with minimal effort. And ideally, it should require only three steps: boil water + cook pasta + add sauce.
Okay, water and pasta are simple enough, but what about the sauce? If you’re thinking about that store bought stuff from a jar, fuggedaboutit. You can do so much better than that. Instead, let’s turn to the Crock-Pot: think of it as a sauce-making machine that will turn out homemade, slow cooked bologneses and marinaras that will make that plate of spaghetti all the more amazing to behold.
There’s a little more to it than just throwing some tomatoes all willy nilly into the crock, though. In some cases, not too much more. In all cases, it’s nothing taxing, and it’s so worth waiting for. Here are nine recipes that will show you how to make slow cooker pasta recipes that come together at the push of a button.
1. Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese
Chowhound
There’s no way around it: real deal bolognese is a slow simmering affair. Your nonna might have made it by spending hours at the stove, stirring away. We like to throw it in the slow cooker and consider our work done. Get our Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese recipe.
2. Slow Cooker Beef Goulash
Chowhound
Egg noodles love a hearty and rich sauce, the kind that sticks to and coats each piece in a thick, glossy sheen. Our slow cooker beef goulash brings all the beefy, lip-sticking goodness that those twirls demand. Get our Slow Cooker Beef Goulash recipe.
3. Slow Cooker Marinara
It’s always a good idea to have some marinara stored away to use on pastas, pizzas, and more. You can easily make a large batch of this one in the slow cooker and freeze up any extras for another day. Get the recipe Slow Cooker Marinara recipe.
4. Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Spaghetti
Tap the link in my @themagicalslowcooker profile or go to https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/slow-cooker-creamy-chicken-spaghetti/ There’s nothing like a good cream sauce to satisfy any comfort food cravings. With cream cheese and condensed chicken soup (don’t knock it til you try it), plus tender chunks of chicken in the mix, this recipe takes that hankering to the max. (For a sort of Tex Mex-meets-alfredo dish, try this Crock-Pot Chicken Spaghetti recipe too.) Get the Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Spaghetti recipe.
5. Slow Cooker Beef and Cheese Pasta
Italian-American cuisine has a few signature ingredients: red sauce, herb-based seasonings, and lots of melty mozzarella cheese. Here, they all come together in a sauce that would have its place in Little Italy. Get the Slow Cooker Beef and Cheese Pasta recipe.
6. Slow Cooker Italian Pork Shoulder Ragu
Just because slow cooker sauces are easy doesn’t mean that they can’t be sophisticated, too. This hearty concoction with chunks of tender pork and Italian sausage is definitely worthy of a classy dinner party or special meal with family or friends. Get the Slow Cooker Italian Pork Shoulder Ragu recipe.
7. Crock-Pot Enchilada Pasta
Although it’s got tomatoes at its heart, the beans, corn, and spices in this enchilada-inspired sauce take things in a totally unexpected direction. Break out the hot sauce for this one. Get the Crock-Pot Enchilada Pasta recipe.
8. Slow Cooker Spinach Lasagna
Chowhound
Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting while you relax with a glass of wine. (If you’re in the mood for meat, try a Spicy Turkey Slow Cooker Lasagna recipe.) Get the Slow Cooker Spinach Lasagna recipe.
9. Crock-Pot Chicken Alfredo
Creamy alfredo sauce is a comfort food classic; making it in the slow cooker means you could just snuggle in a bunch of blankets and keep cozy until it’s time to eat. Get the Crock-Pot Chicken Alfredo recipe.
