This recipe for Crock-Pot Tomato & Spinach Pasta is packed with flavor & veggies. The family is going to love this easy recipe. Serve with garlic toast!
Slow Cooker Tomato & Spinach Pasta
Italian sausage, tomatoes and spinach make for a flavorful pasta dish that is perfect for dinner any night of the week. Feel free to lighten up the recipe a little bit by using turkey Italian sausage for a little less fat and calories.
The pasta in this recipe is cooked on the stove-top according to the directions on the package of pasta until just al dente. Then the cooked pasta is added to the meaty sauce mixture right before serving. Cooking the pasta on the stove-top prevents the pasta from turning mushy.
On days that are particularly busy with my family I have had great success cooking the pasta ahead of time, draining it and cooling it under cold running water in the colander and then putting in a covered container in the refrigerator or a plastic gallon sized food storage bag. The pasta may stick together a little bit but will loosen up when mixed into the hot sauce in the slow cooker. And the sauce will warm up the pasta nicely.
Products Needed:
- 4 Quart Slow Cooker
- Large Skillet
- Wooden Spoon
- Colander
- Large Stock Pot
- Can Opener
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Cheese Grater
Special Diets
Check out these Italian slow cooker recipes too!
- Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat) + Video
- Crock-Pot Pesto Chicken + Video
- Slow Cooker Chicken Brushetta Bake
- Crock-Pot Zuppa Toscana
- Slow Cooker Layered Lasagna Casserole + Video
Crock-Pot Tomato & Spinach Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Sweet Italian Sausage
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion (Diced)
- 1 Clove Garlic (Minced)
- 28 Ounces Canned Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 10 Ounces Frozen Spinach (Thawed)
- 16 Ounces Rotini Pasta (Cooked On The Stove-Top According To The Package Directions)
- 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook Italian sausage, onion and garlic until meat is cooked and crumbled.
- Drain excess fat off the meat and add everything to a 4 quart or larger slow cooker.
- Add diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning and salt to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours.
- 30 minutes prior to serving, add in spinach, cooked pasta and mozzarella cheese.
- Switch to high, cover the slow cooker, and cook for 30 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
This was soooo yummy! We made it Monday and it was even better the next day! Thanks for a great recipe!!
What size crock pot did you use for this recipe?
I used my 5 qt on this one.
do you think I could substitute mushrooms for the meat in this and it still work?
It would change the flavor, but I think it would work!
Made this for dinner tonight, everyone loved it!
Saving it to my recipe file for future dinners
This picture isn’t of Rotini pasta. Excited to make this tomorrow and see how the family likes it.
Hi Michelle, thanks for stopping by to leave a comment. This is one of our older recipes so I had to do a double check on the pasta in the picture. It is indeed rotini pasta…curly cue pasta (like pictured here on the Barilla Pasta website.
Would fresh baby spinach work for this?
It should work just fine Trish!
This sounds delicious, such a clever way of adding pasta to your slow cooker when you are ready to eat, I had never thought of doing it like this. Look forward to giving it a go!
Hope you give it a try Paula!
Thank you for this recipe and for the calculator to easily adjust the portions! If I cut it in half, will it dry out?
It should be fine. You could always add a little bit more broth/liquid if needed!
Can I make this without cheese?
While we have not tested this recipe without cheese I think it may work Krista. If you try it out please come back and let us know how it worked out for you!
I’m making mine without cheese tonight, My Mom doesn’t like melted cheese, so we are just sprinkling it on top when serving, for those that like cheese
Sounds good Christine!
Dairy issue- does this taste good without the cheese?
Hi Kristie, while I have not tested this recipe without the cheese I would think it would still be very tasty. If you test it out please come back and let us know how you liked the recipe!
I just made this recipe last night for dinner and it was a hit! I did switch the sausage to jimmy deans original. It still tasted great to us but we are not picky. Next time I make this I plan to use the sausage recommended. I also made this but used for more of a side dish and not the main dish. So I’ll be freezing some left overs.
I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe Heather. Thank you so much for your sweet review!