17 Slow-Cooker Pasta Recipes That Will Be The Easiest Dinners In Your Rotation

December 23, 2020
Credit: Iain Bagwell

When dinnertime is on the horizon, there’s always a box of pasta in the back of the pantry you can grab for a quick, easy, and family-friendly meal. With our slow-cooker pasta recipes, we just made pasta night even simpler. Instead of dumping a jar of sauce on top and calling it a day, let your pasta sauce ingredients meld together in the slow cooker for flavor that tastes five-star but doesn’t require any hands-on work on your part.  Whether your family is craving classic lasagna, spaghetti Bolognese, or even macaroni and cheese, you can make them all in the slow cooker. Cozy up with a warm bowl of chicken and orzo soup or get your comfort food fix with some classic minestrone—all from the slow cooker. If you’ve hit a weeknight dinner rut, turn to these slow-cooker pasta recipes. Every family member will be thrilled with what’s on the menu.

Start Slideshow

1 of 17

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

One of the best things about making this classic pasta sauce in the slow cooker is that it can be made ahead. It can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to five days or frozen in an airtight container (or Ziplock freezer bags) up to three months.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 17

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

This beautiful dinner is nice enough for Mama to come over but easy enough for a weeknight. Kids and adults will love it.

3 of 17

Uncle Jack’s Mac-and-Cheese

Credit: Hector M Sanchez

Recipe: Uncle Jack’s Mac-and-Cheese

We bet you didn’t know you can make this kid-favorite side dish in your slow cooker. It’s our pleasure to introduce you to this recipe!

Advertisement

4 of 17

Soulful Chicken Soup

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Soulful Chicken Soup

Sore throat? Sick stomach? Bad day? There’s nothing a cozy bowl of classic chicken noodle soup can’t fix.

5 of 17

Slow-Cooker Tomato Sauce

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Tomato Sauce

Not only does this simple sauce go well over pasta, but it’s a great base for homemade pizzas, so skip delivery this Friday and let your slow cooker take over.

6 of 17

Slow-Cooker Sausage Minestrone

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sausage Minestrone

Warm up on a chilly night with a bowl of this classic soup that includes beans, smoked sausage, plenty of veggies, and of course, macaroni. All this slow-cooker recipe is missing is a side of bread to soak up every last bit.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 17

Pork Marsala

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Pork Marsala

Pork chops are a weeknight winner—they’re budget-friendly, kid-friendly, and delicious. This slow-cooker recipe will make you love them even more.

8 of 17

Chicken-and-Spinach Lasagna

Recipe: Chicken-and-Spinach Lasagna

Swap your usual beefy lasagna for this chicken version that the slow cooker makes for you. Store-bought shortcuts like frozen spinach, rotisserie chicken, jarred pasta sauce, and canned soup help this comfort food classic come together so easily.

9 of 17

Vegetable Tortellini Soup

Recipe: Vegetable Tortellini Soup

With just two steps and shortcuts like frozen veggies, canned beans, and refrigerated tortellini, this soup genuinely could not be easier.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 17

Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta

Credit: Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta

This is the ideal slow-cooker recipe to leave on all day while you work. The longer it simmers, the more the delicious flavors meld together. Wide pappardelle noodles help you get sauce with every bite.

11 of 17

Hard Cider-Braised Pork

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Hard Cider-Braised Pork

This oh-so-comfy dinner tastes like fall on a plate. Harvest carrots and apples look beautiful and taste great with the complementing apple cider sauce.

12 of 17

Spaghetti Casserole

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Spaghetti Casserole

Pasta night just got even easier. We turned your favorite spaghetti recipe into a pasta bake that comes together in the slow cooker.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 17

Lemon Chicken Soup

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Lemon Chicken Soup

Lemon brightens up your old-school chicken noodle soup recipe, and orzo adds a fun textural element that’s different from the classic.

14 of 17

Slow Cooker Goulash

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Slow Cooker Goulash

If you’re craving comfort food, meet tonight’s dinner. It comes together with budget-friendly ingredients and just a few minutes of hands-on time.

15 of 17

Sausage and Squash Lasagna

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Sausage and Squash Lasagna

Never tried lasagna from the slow cooker? Trust us on this one—the flavors blend together so gorgeously.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 17

Herbed Beef Ragu

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Herbed Beef Ragu

This flavorful dinner recipe isn’t your usual tomato-based sauce. The only thing we recommend adding is a sprinkling of fresh parmesan cheese and basil on top before serving.

17 of 17

Sausage-and-Collard Greens Stew

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Sausage-and-Collard Greens Stew

You won’t believe that this hearty, comforting soup comes together with just two steps. Use spicy sausage instead of mild if you like more of a kick.

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next