Crockpot Pizza Pasta (Print View)

Comforting pasta with all the flavors of pizza, made easily in your slow cooker with sausage, pepperoni, and melted cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef
02 - 20 slices pepperoni

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pantry

06 - 12 oz uncooked rotini or penne pasta
07 - 24 oz jar marinara or pizza sauce
08 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Dairy

09 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
12 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - In a skillet over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage or ground beef until browned. Drain excess fat.
02 - Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet. Sauté 3-4 minutes until softened.
03 - Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker.
04 - Add the cooked meat and vegetables to the crockpot. Stir in uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes with juices, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
05 - Top with half the shredded mozzarella, then arrange pepperoni slices over the cheese.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 3.5 to 4 hours, or until pasta is tender. Check at 3 hours to avoid overcooking.
07 - In the last 15 minutes, sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Re-cover and let the cheese melt.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan or fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The pasta cooks right in the sauce, soaking up all those Italian flavors while you barely lift a finger
  • Kids and adults both clean their plates without you having to negotiate anyone eating their vegetables
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, if you somehow manage to have any left
02 -
  • Different pasta brands cook at different speeds, so start checking at 3 hours even if the recipe says longer
  • The pasta continues absorbing liquid after you turn off the slow cooker, so it is better to be slightly underdone than overdone
  • If the sauce looks too thick before the pasta is done, add half a cup of water and stir gently
03 -
  • Cook your pasta al dente in a pot of salted water first if you want more control over the final texture
  • Line your slow cooker with a cooking spray before adding ingredients to make cleanup almost effortless

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