10 Crock Pot Pasta Recipes for Cozy Weeknight Dinners

Crock pot pasta recipes let the slow cooker build a rich sauce while you get on with your day. Chicken thighs, ground beef, and mushrooms turn soft over low heat, and pasta goes in near the end so it keeps some bite. The versions below take that idea in genuinely different directions.

If you want a traditional Sunday dinner, start with the Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Beef Meatballs. Go with Cajun Chicken Sausage Pasta when you want heat, reach for Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli for a lighter bowl, and there is Crock Pot Turkey Lasagna for feeding a crowd.

Which Crock Pot Pasta Should You Make?

Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Beef Meatballs

This is the one to reach for when you want a red sauce that tastes like it simmered all day, because it did. The slow cooker turns jarred marinara, garlic, and onions into something deeper while the meatballs stay tender in the sauce.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Lean ground beef: 800 g (1.75 lb)
• Plain breadcrumbs: 45 g (1/2 cup)
• Large egg: 1
• Grated Parmesan: 50 g (1/2 cup)
• Garlic cloves, minced: 4
• Yellow onion, finely chopped: 1
• Marinara sauce: 800 g (28 oz)
• Spaghetti: 450 g (1 lb)
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: In a large bowl, you mix the 800 g lean ground beef, 45 g breadcrumbs, egg, 50 g Parmesan, half the minced garlic, and a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Stop mixing as soon as everything holds together, because the more you work the meat, the tougher your meatballs turn out.

Step 2: Roll the mixture into 24 meatballs, each a little smaller than a golf ball, and you drop them into the slow cooker as you go.

Step 3: Pour the 800 g marinara sauce over the meatballs, then stir in the chopped onion and the remaining garlic. You want the sauce to nearly cover the meatballs, so give everything a gentle press so they settle into the sauce, then cover and let it go on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Step 4: Close to serving time, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the 450 g spaghetti until just shy of al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain it, then you transfer the pasta into the slow cooker and fold it gently through the sauce.

Step 5: Your last move is to let everything sit on warm for 5 minutes so the spaghetti drinks up some of the sauce, then you serve the meatballs and pasta hot with extra Parmesan.

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta

A slow cooker makes Alfredo sauce without any standing over the stove, because the cream cheese and Parmesan melt into the stock while the chicken turns spoon tender. This is the version for a rainy night when you want a bowl of creamy garlic noodles.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs: 900 g (2 lb)
• Garlic cloves, minced: 4
• Cream cheese, cubed: 225 g (8 oz)
• Chicken stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Heavy cream: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Grated Parmesan: 100 g (1 cup)
• Fettuccine: 400 g (14 oz)
• Black pepper: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Season the 900 g chicken thighs all over with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then you place them in the slow cooker with half the minced garlic and 480 ml chicken stock. Cover and let it go on low for 5 hours, until a fork shreds the chicken easily.

Step 2: Lift the chicken out with tongs onto a cutting board and shred it with two forks, then you stir it back into the slow cooker with the remaining garlic, 225 g cream cheese, and 240 ml heavy cream. Let it cook on high for 15 minutes so the cream cheese fully melts, and you will see the sauce turn pale and smooth.

Step 3: Meanwhile, cook the 400 g fettuccine in a large pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says. You want it slightly firm, because it will pick up more sauce in the slow cooker, so drain it well.

Step 4: Add the drained fettuccine to the slow cooker, then you fold in 100 g Parmesan and turn everything gently so each noodle gets coated. The sauce should be loose enough to coat a spoon, so do not overmix.

Step 5: Let the pasta sit on warm for 5 minutes, then you taste and add more salt or pepper if it needs it. Serve hot with a shower of extra Parmesan on top.

Crock Pot Baked Ziti with Ground Beef

This is the one to bring out when you need a big pan of cheesy, saucy pasta with almost no hands-on time. Ground beef and ricotta make it substantial, and the slow cooker lets the sauce soak into every ridged noodle.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Olive oil: 1 tbsp
• Lean ground beef: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 1
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Marinara sauce: 1.6 kg (56 oz, two 28 oz jars)
• Italian seasoning: 2 tsp
• Ziti or rigatoni: 500 g (1 lb)
• Ricotta cheese: 480 g (2 cups)
• Shredded mozzarella: 300 g (3 cups)
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then you add the 900 g ground beef, chopped onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Break the meat up with a spoon and cook until it loses its pink color, about 8 minutes, then you stir in the garlic for the final minute.

Step 2: Drain off any fat, then you scrape the beef into your slow cooker. Pour in 1.6 kg marinara sauce and 2 tsp Italian seasoning, give it all a stir, and you let the sauce cook on low for 4 hours so the flavors sink into the meat.

Step 3: About 20 minutes before the sauce is ready, cook the 500 g ziti in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directs. You want the pasta just slightly firm, because the slow cooker will finish it and you do not want mushy ziti.

Step 4: Turn the slow cooker to warm, then you fold the drained ziti into the sauce along with 480 g ricotta and half the mozzarella. Stir gently until the pasta is coated and you see white streaks of ricotta running through.

Step 5: Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top, cover, and let it sit on warm for 10 minutes so the cheese melts into a soft layer. Then you scoop the ziti straight from the slow cooker and serve it hot.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Pasta

This one leans on mushrooms and beef stock for a deep, earthy sauce that turns silky with cream cheese at the end. I go heavy on the black pepper, because it wakes up the richness.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Beef stew meat, cut into bites: 800 g (1.75 lb)
• Cremini mushrooms, sliced: 450 g (1 lb)
• Yellow onion, thinly sliced: 1
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Beef stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Dijon mustard and soy sauce: 1 tbsp each
• Cream cheese, cubed: 180 g (6 oz)
• Egg noodles: 400 g (14 oz)
• Olive oil: 1 tbsp
• Black pepper: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Season the 800 g beef stew meat with 1 tsp black pepper, then you sear the pieces in a hot skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil until they brown on two sides, about 6 minutes total. This step builds the deep flavor you would miss if you just dropped the beef in cold.

Step 2: Transfer the beef to your slow cooker, then you add the 450 g sliced mushrooms, onion, garlic, 480 ml beef stock, 1 tbsp Dijon, and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Cover and let it cook on low for 6 hours, until you can pull a piece of beef apart with a spoon.

Step 3: When the beef is tender, stir in the 180 g cream cheese, breaking it up with the spoon so it melts into the sauce. You will see the sauce go from brown to a soft, pale tan as it thickens.

Step 4: Meanwhile, cook the 400 g egg noodles in salted boiling water until just tender, about 6 minutes, then you drain them and stir them into the slow cooker. The noodles soak up the sauce quickly, so turn the pot to warm as soon as they go in.

Step 5: Let the stroganoff sit on warm for 5 minutes, then you taste and add more black pepper if you want more heat. Serve hot with chopped fresh parsley.

Cajun Chicken Sausage Pasta

Smoked paprika, cayenne, and bell peppers give this pasta a warm, smoky heat that feels like a dinner you ordered, not one you made in a slow cooker. The chicken sausage stays juicy, and the cream cools everything down.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Smoked chicken sausage, sliced: 500 g (1 lb)
• Red bell pepper, sliced: 1
• Green bell pepper, sliced: 1
• Yellow onion, sliced: 1
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Chicken stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Heavy cream: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Cajun seasoning: 2 tsp
• Penne pasta: 350 g (12 oz)
• Salt: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Put the 500 g sliced smoked chicken sausage into your slow cooker with the sliced bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Sprinkle over 2 tsp Cajun seasoning and 1/2 tsp salt, then you stir everything so the spice coats the sausage and vegetables.

Step 2: Pour in 240 ml chicken stock, cover, and let the mixture cook on low for 3 hours so the peppers soften and the sausage releases its smoky flavor into the broth. You will smell it before you lift the lid.

Step 3: Stir in 240 ml heavy cream, then you let the sauce come up to a gentle bubble on high for 10 minutes. The color will turn a soft orange and the sauce will cling to the back of your spoon.

Step 4: While the sauce heats, cook the 350 g penne in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says. Drain it, then you tip the pasta into the slow cooker and fold everything together.

Step 5: Let the Cajun pasta sit on warm for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens around the penne, then you serve it in wide bowls with a spoonful of the creamy peppers on top.

Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese

This is the version for the night you want mac and cheese with a vegetable already in the bowl. Broccoli melts into the sharp cheddar sauce, and the slow cooker does not need a roux.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Elbow macaroni: 400 g (14 oz)
• Broccoli florets, small: 400 g (14 oz)
• Unsalted butter: 60 g (4 tbsp)
• All-purpose flour: 30 g (1/4 cup)
• Whole milk: 720 ml (3 cups)
• Sharp cheddar, grated: 350 g (3.5 cups)
• Cream cheese, cubed: 115 g (4 oz)
• Garlic powder: 1 tsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Melt 60 g butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then you whisk in 30 g flour and cook for 1 minute so it stops tasting raw. Slowly whisk in 720 ml milk and keep going until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Step 2: Turn your slow cooker to low, then you pour in the thickened milk mixture. Add 350 g cheddar, 115 g cream cheese, 1 tsp garlic powder, and a pinch of salt, then stir until the cheese has mostly melted into a smooth sauce.

Step 3: Cook the 400 g elbow macaroni in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says, and add the 400 g broccoli florets in the last 3 minutes. Drain them together, then you fold both into the cheese sauce in the slow cooker.

Step 4: Cover and let the mac and cheese sit on warm for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway, so the flavors settle and the pasta drinks up some of the sauce. You want it looser than you think, because it thickens as it sits.

Step 5: Taste the mac and cheese and add more salt or black pepper if it needs it, then you serve it hot from the slow cooker.

Crock Pot Turkey Lasagna

A true lasagna usually means boiling, layering, and babysitting an oven, but this slow cooker version lets you layer no-boil noodles right into the sauce. Ground turkey keeps it lighter without losing the meaty, cheesy satisfaction.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Olive oil: 1 tbsp
• Lean ground turkey: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 1
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Marinara sauce: 1.2 kg (42 oz, about 1.5 jars)
• No-boil lasagna noodles: 250 g (9 oz)
• Ricotta cheese: 480 g (2 cups)
• Shredded mozzarella: 300 g (3 cups)
• Grated Parmesan: 50 g (1/2 cup)
• Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry: 300 g (10 oz)

Instructions

Step 1: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then you cook the 900 g ground turkey and chopped onion until the turkey turns white and starts to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic for the last minute, then you drain any liquid.

Step 2: Pour 1.2 kg marinara sauce into the skillet and stir it into the turkey, then you let the sauce heat through for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set it near your slow cooker.

Step 3: In a bowl, stir together 480 g ricotta, 300 g thawed spinach, half the mozzarella, and 50 g Parmesan. You want it thick enough to spread, so add a spoon of marinara only if it feels too stiff.

Step 4: Spoon a thin layer of the meat sauce into your slow cooker, then you lay down a single layer of no-boil lasagna noodles, breaking them to fit. Spread a third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, and repeat the layers until everything is used, ending with sauce and the remaining mozzarella on top.

Step 5: Cover and let the lasagna cook on low for 4 hours, then turn it off and let it rest for 15 minutes before you cut into it. You scoop out big squares and serve with extra Parmesan.

Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli

A brothy pasta and bean soup that gets its body from crushed tomatoes and creamy cannellini beans, with ditalini stirred in right before you eat. This is the lightest option in the list, but it still feels like a full dinner.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Yellow onion, chopped: 1
• Carrot and celery, diced: 2 each
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed: 800 g (28 oz total)
• Crushed tomatoes: 800 g (28 oz)
• Vegetable stock: 960 ml (4 cups)
• Dried oregano: 1 tsp
• Ditalini pasta: 250 g (8 oz)
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then you cook the chopped onion and diced carrot and celery for 6 minutes, until they soften and smell sweet. Stir in the garlic for the final minute.

Step 2: Scrape the vegetables into your slow cooker, then you add 800 g cannellini beans, 800 g crushed tomatoes, 960 ml vegetable stock, 1 tsp oregano, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and let it cook on low for 5 hours so the beans absorb the tomato.

Step 3: About 25 minutes before serving, turn the slow cooker to high and stir in 250 g ditalini. You want the pasta to cook slowly in the broth so it takes on flavor without blowing apart.

Step 4: Let the soup bubble on high for 20 minutes, stirring once, until the ditalini is tender but still has a little bite. If the soup gets too thick, you can add a splash of hot vegetable stock.

Step 5: Turn off the heat, then you taste and add more salt or pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a spoonful of grated Parmesan.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Tangy buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and shredded chicken come together into a pasta that tastes like your favorite bar snack turned into dinner. I keep the celery in the bowl for crunch, because it needs that fresh snap.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken breast: 900 g (2 lb)
• Buffalo wing sauce: 180 ml (3/4 cup)
• Chicken stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Cream cheese, cubed: 180 g (6 oz)
• Ranch seasoning mix: 2 tbsp
• Shredded mozzarella: 200 g (2 cups)
• Penne pasta: 350 g (12 oz)
• Celery stalks, thinly sliced: 2
• Blue cheese crumbles: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Salt: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Season 900 g chicken breast with 1/2 tsp salt, then you place it in your slow cooker with 180 ml buffalo wing sauce and 240 ml chicken stock. Cover and let it cook on low for 4 hours, until the chicken shreds without any fight.

Step 2: Lift the chicken out with tongs and shred it with two forks, then you stir it back into the sauce with 180 g cream cheese and 2 tbsp ranch seasoning. Let it cook on high for 10 minutes so the cream cheese melts and the sauce turns creamy.

Step 3: While the sauce heats, cook 350 g penne in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says. Drain it, then you add the pasta to the slow cooker along with the sliced celery and 200 g mozzarella, folding until the cheese starts to melt.

Step 4: Continue folding gently until the cheese is fully melted and every piece of penne is coated in the orange sauce. You can loosen it with a splash of chicken stock if the sauce feels too thick.

Step 5: Turn the slow cooker to warm, then you scatter 60 g blue cheese crumbles over the top and let it sit for 5 minutes. Serve the pasta hot with extra celery slices on each bowl.

Spinach Artichoke Crock Pot Pasta

The slow cooker turns frozen spinach, artichoke hearts, and two cheeses into a creamy vegetarian sauce that clings to every shell. This is the one I make when I want comfort food without any meat.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry: 300 g (10 oz)
• Canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped: 400 g (14 oz)
• Cream cheese, cubed: 225 g (8 oz)
• Grated Parmesan: 80 g (3/4 cup)
• Shredded mozzarella: 200 g (2 cups)
• Vegetable stock: 360 ml (1.5 cups)
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Medium shell pasta: 400 g (14 oz)
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Stir together 225 g cream cheese, 80 g Parmesan, 200 g mozzarella, 360 ml vegetable stock, and the minced garlic in your slow cooker. You want the cheeses mostly combined with the stock before you turn on the heat.

Step 2: Fold in 300 g spinach and 400 g artichoke hearts, then you cover the slow cooker and let it cook on low for 2 hours, until the cheese sauce is smooth. Stir it once halfway so the spinach breaks up evenly.

Step 3: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 400 g medium shells for 2 minutes less than the package directs. Drain them, then you add the shells to the cheese sauce and fold everything together.

Step 4: Turn the slow cooker to warm, cover, and let the pasta sit for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and soaks into the shells. You will see the sauce climb into every little curve.

Step 5: Your last move is to taste the pasta and add more salt or black pepper if you think it needs it, then serve hot with a little extra Parmesan on top.

The one technique that matters most across all these recipes is timing the pasta. Add it too early and it drinks up every drop of sauce and goes soft, so follow the timing in each recipe and let the slow cooker handle the rest.

Pick the one that sounds like tonight, and get it going.