Crock Pot Pasta Casserole

Simmer the flavorful easy sauce for this Crock Pot Pasta Casserole low and slow while you go about your day. Add pasta at the end of cooking and you'll have an Italian inspired family dinner on the table in no time. Bonus oven instructions are included, too!

Easy to Make Crock Pot Pasta Casserole

This casserole is a delicious way to have sauce simmering and the flavors developing while you go about your day. It's designed to keep things simple, but still have a warm and delicious dinner for the family to enjoy. Pasta is one of my favorite inexpensive ways to fill hungry tummies and it sticks to the ribs, too.

How to Make the Best Crock Pot Pasta Casserole Recipe

I know when you think of slow cooking you naturally want to do it all in the slow cooker. In this instance, taking a few minutes to brown the sausage before adding it to the crock pot enhances the flavor making it worth the small amount of effort it takes.

• Ingredients you'll need to make Crock Pot Pasta Casserole: Italian sausage, olive oil, diced onion, pepperoni, two jars of marinara sauce (seasoned with garlic, basil and oregano), beef stock, rigatoni or penne pasta, ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, dry Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes and chopped Italian parsley.
• Kitchen tools you'll need: A 5 or 6 quart crockpot, large skillet, sharp knife and cutting board, pasta pot, cheese grater and large spoon.
• This recipe can be adapted using ground sausage, ground beef, turkey or chicken. Cook, crumble and add to the crockpot in place of Italian sausage.
• When doing so, you may need to adjust the seasonings adding more as needed since this recipe was developed using Italian sausage. That means that it already includes seasonings such as fennel and red pepper flakes if it's spicy.
• Choose a flavorful marinara sauce that you enjoy for the best end result.
• The best pasta to use for this recipe is a cut tubular pasta, bow tie or jumbo elbow. Spaghetti or fettuccine doesn't do quite as well.
• When cooking the pasta, follow the directions boiling in salted water just until al dente. It will continue to cook in the pasta sauce so, you will want it to maintain a good texture and not over cook.
• You can add one cup of fresh mushrooms or diced zucchini to the sauce to add another layer of flavor.
• At the end of cooking, you can thin the sauce using additional beef stock or pasta water. Likewise, you can thicken the sauce using tomato paste.
• Store cooked Crock Pot Pasta Casserole chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in single servings in the microwave.

To Make this Pasta Casserole in the Oven

This can also be prepared in a 13 x 9 inch dish. Here's what you do:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13  x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well, add to a mixing bowl.
• Cook Italian sausage with onion in olive oil per the recipe, until no pink remains. Drain excess fat.
• Add to the pasta marinara sauce, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. (Omit beef broth for oven version) Add optional 8 ounce ricotta, if using.
• Pour over pasta and sausage mixing until well coated. Pour half into baking dish.
• Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Arrange pepperoni slices over cheese, then top with remaining pasta.
• Sprinkle top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
• Garnish top with parsley and serve.

More Pasta Recipes to Make

Other pasta recipes you may also like to add to the menu:

• Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is a riff on the popular dish at Chili's.
• This Saucy Baked Penne Pasta recipe can be fully assembled one day in advance and baked just before serving.
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad can double as a side dish or an entree.
• Alfredo Chicken and Ham Rigatoni is a terrific way to use up leftover holiday ham.
• Southwestern Chicken Cavatappi is a one dish meal.
• Cheesy Skillet Lasagna from The Slow Roasted Italian.

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Helpful Kitchen Items: 

• 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
• Non Stick Skillet
• Rotary Cheese Grater
• Measuring Cups

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Crock Pot Pasta Casserole

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time4 hours hrs

Stand time5 minutes mins

Total Time4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian Inspired

Keyword: crock-pot-pasta-casserole, pasta-casserole-recipes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 410kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb mild or spicy Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion finely diced
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
• 16 slices pepperoni
• 2 24 oz jars basil, garlic, oregano marinara sauce OR your favorite
• 2 cups low sodium beef stock
• 2 ½ cups pasta with ridges (about ⅔ of a 16 oz box) i.e. rigatoni, penne etc.
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided use
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided use, plus additional for serving
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 8 oz ricotta cheese optional
• 2 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

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Instructions

• Spray the crock of a 6 quart or similar size slow cooker with cooking spray, or line with a crockpot liner.
• In a skillet, brown sausage and onion in olive oil over medium high heat. Cook just until the sausage has browned it doesn't have to be cooked through. Break sausage into bite size chunks. Drain fat, then arrange on bottom of slow cooker. Cover with pepperoni slices.
• To the slow cooker add marinara sauce, broth, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and 3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Mix the seasonings into the sauce trying not to disturb the sausage. Lock lid in place, simmer on low for 4-6 hours. (Or on high for 2-3 hours)
• To finish: Cook pasta per directions on box in salted water until al dente. Uncover crock pot and add pasta, 1 cup shredded cheese and ricotta, if using.
• Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes then top with reserved 1 cup shredded cheese. Let stand with lid offset just until cheese melts.
• Garnish with reserved 1 tablespoon Parmesan and fresh parsley and serve.
• Please note: At the end of cooking you can thin the sauce by adding additional beef stock or pasta cooking water. Likewise, you can thicken it using tomato paste.

Notes

This can also be prepared in the oven:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13  x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well, add to a mixing bowl. 
• Cook Italian sausage with onion in olive oil per the recipe, until no pink remains. Drain fat.
• To the pasta add sausage, marinara sauce, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. (Omit beef broth for oven version) Add optional 8 ounce ricotta, if using.
• Pour over pasta and sausage mixing until well coated. Pour half into baking dish. 
• Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Arrange pepperoni slices over cheese, then top with remaining pasta.
• Sprinkle top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan. 
• Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden and bubbly. 
• Garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1480mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 344IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 1mg

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