A couple months ago, I posted a really simple recipe for Pizza Pasta. It’s one of our favorite go-to meals for busy weeknights, and it’s a great freezer meal.
However, while our kitchen is under renovation, I have no oven and no stove top… which means no Pizza Pasta.
Dave and I were both in the mood for pasta the other day, but I needed a recipe that would work in the slow cooker AND a recipe that did not require boiling the noodles. I couldn’t find one that I wanted to make… so I made up my own recipe.
It was absolutely delicious!
If you love pizza and pasta but don’t feel like turning your oven on when it’s 90* outside (West Michigan was in the upper 90’s all last week), give this slow cooker version a try.
Recipe for Pizza Pasta in a Slow Cooker:
Ingredients
- 1 26 oz. jar sauce (or you can make my favorite simple sauce recipe)
- 8-10 oven-ready lasagna noodles broken up
- 1-2 c. Italian or Mozzarella cheese
- Favorite pizza toppings (I used 1/2 c. ground beef from the freezer, pepperoni, and bacon pieces)
- 1 T. minced onion (divided)
- Garlic, Oregano and/or any other spices or seasonings you like
- 1/2 c. water
Directions
- Pour about 1/2 c. of the sauce in the bottom of a medium slow cooker (spray it with cooking spray first)
- Add 1/3 of your cheese, spices, and pizza toppings (I just sprinkled a bit of everything)
- Top with 1/2 the broken lasagna noodles
- Cover noodles with another layer of sauce
- Add 1/3 of your cheese, spices, and pizza toppings
- Top with remaining 1/2 of your broken lasagna noodles
- Cover with the rest of your sauce AND 1/2 c. of water
- Add remaining cheese, spices, and pizza topping
- Put the lid on and cook for 3-4 hours on low.
- Eat and enjoy!
This recipe was really cheesy and really delicious. And if you want more of a lasagna taste, you could omit the pizza toppings and add in a 16 oz. container of cottage cheese {I’m planning to try that this week!}
I also think I’ll be bringing this dish to our next church potluck… it was that good.
Have you ever made pasta in a slow cooker?
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jody says
Could I make this with other pasta noodles and not lasagna?
Thanks,
Jody
Andrea says
yes, for sure!
Tina says
Will it work with gluten free lasagna?
Leanne B says
Hi there, is the ground beef that you used already cooked? Or did you put it in raw?
Cain says
Does 4 hours on a high setting in a slow cooker work? Will that burn the recipe?
Coleen says
How many servings would you say this makes?
Chriss says
Can this be made one day, left in fridge over night and cooked the next? Also, what r the directions if wanting it as a freezer, for next week, kinda meal?
Monica Richardson says
I made the lasagna tonight. It was a hit. My littles are a little picky so I pureed onions and bell pepper so they never knew they were in it. I will make this again.
~~Rhonda says
I make crock pot lasagna and know my family will enjoy this recipe as well. We’ll put it on the menu! Thanks for sharing. When I made the lasagna, I put cottage cheese in the blender with an egg and blend it until smooth. No one knows it’s cottage cheese. 🙂 ~~Rhonda
Cathleen says
This was AWESOME – and will be used a lot through the busy winter season!
We served it with spinach salad – colours looked so great on the plate – and followed it up with your peach/almond crisp – PERFECT family dinner. Thanks!
Holly says
I recently got a slow cooker and have been trying out a couple of new recipes each week. My difficulty has been a husband who doesn’t like stews/casseroles. I tried making this. He was very dubious when I told him. When he started eating it he decided he liked it and went back for seconds. So thank you, it was delicious.
Nicole says
I made this recipe last night, and my husband and I both loved it! This is the third recipe from your site that I’ve made. For a family get-together over the 4th of July, I made the slow cooker chocolate cake. I also make your easy fruit salad (with the peach pie filling) every week when I get home from the grocery store, so we can eat fresh fruit all week with dinner. Keep the amazing recipes coming especially the ones for the slow cooker. Love your blog!
Cindy says
I tried this recipe last night and it was a huge hit! I did not use oven-ready lasagna noodles and it turned out just fine. For a more lasagna like texture, I followed your suggestion and added two layers of cottage cheese. Will definitely be making this again!!
Lorraine says
This is exactly what I was wondering- about the oven-ready noodles! Thank you so much for posting that the regular ones worked. I’m going to go get it ready now 😀
Stel says
I’m new to this whole slow-cooker thingey and just yesterday made an American chicken and bean recipe – we’ll call it cowboy chicken, the boys loved it. But lasagne, in a slow cooker? Lots to learn still!
katie says
Perfect timing – I made traditional lasagna for the family earlier this week, but was left with about 5 noodles (not enough to make another batch), so I broke them up and put them in a baggie on the shelf thinking there must be something I could do with them. Everyone will be excited to have a little pizza pasta next week for dinner!
JoAnn C. says
I’ve been making lasagna in the slow cooker for a few years. It’s easy and delicious. When I’m looking for new ideas for the crock, I go to Stephanie O’Dea’s blog, A year of slow cooking. She has lots of ideas, and fun, fast recipes to follow. Thanks for the post today.
Living So Abundantly says
I have made something similar with different noodles. I took it to a church function, and it was kept warm from being in the slow cooker. Yum!
Kimberley says
Looks yummy! My hubby and I love your pizza pasta recipe and we are going to try this one as well! Thanks for sharing!
Raquel says
Oh that looks so good! Always looking for new slow cooker recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Leigh says
I would love to try this, it would keep the kitchen cool, but pintrest will not let me pin it.
Leigh says
never mind I could do it with your pin it button.
Five4Five Meals says
This is so simple! Thanks for sharing. I love the pizza pasta recipe. I have two in my freezer right now, which is great for this busy work at home mama.
Here is a tip- you don’t have to use oven ready noodles. I use regular spiral pasta or non-oven ready lasagna in my crock pot all the time. As long as it is covered in sauce or liquid it will still cook up fabulously.