Slow Cooker Spinach Pasta Primavera
A creamy, veggie-packed pasta made effortlessly in the slow cooker. Loaded with colorful vegetables, tender pasta, and a rich Parmesan sauce, this dish is comforting, flexible, and perfect for an easy hands-off meal.
Ingredients
- 8 oz short pasta penne, rotini, or shells
- 3 cups broth vegetable or chicken
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated, divided
- 3 cups fresh spinach loosely packed
- 1 cup broccoli florets chopped small
- 1 cup carrots thinly sliced
- 1 cup bell peppers sliced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter melted if butter
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried basil optional
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes pinch, optional
Instructions
- Lightly grease the slow cooker.
- Add all vegetables except spinach to the slow cooker.
- Drizzle with oil or butter and add garlic, seasonings, salt, and pepper.
- Place pasta on top without stirring.
- Mix broth, cream, and most of the Parmesan, then pour over contents.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- Stir gently when checking doneness.
- Once pasta is tender, add spinach and fold until wilted.
- Adjust consistency with broth or cream if needed.
- Season to taste, top with remaining Parmesan, and let sit briefly before serving.
Notes
Add mushrooms or zucchini for variation, or use milk instead of cream for a lighter version.
Nutrition
Calories: 380kcal
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