Italian cuisine is one of the most beloved in the world, and with good reason. The cuisine is known for its richness and heartiness, particularly on the pasta front. You'll find an abundance of tasty Italian recipes out there, but you may not always have time to work your fingers to the bone to perfect a pasta dish.
That's where a slow cooker comes in. With this exceptional kitchen tool you can make delicious Italian meals with relative ease. Slow cookers allow you to prepare your dish relatively hands-free, allowing you time to take care of other tasks while the food cooks. That's indeed an advantage, but even more, if you make these Italian dishes in your slow cooker, you'll be rewarded with scrumptious, and in many cases, new tastes.
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How to make slow cooker butternut squash rigatoni
Rigatoni is one of the best-known pasta shapes, but we've bet you've never enjoyed it in a dish quite like this. Instead of prepping your rigatoni in tomato sauce, you will slather it in a rich, creamy butternut squash sauce made in a slow cooker. One taste of this sauce and you may never go back to tomatoes. Get the recipe here.
Rigatoni is one of the best-known pasta shapes, but we've bet you've never enjoyed it in a dish quite like this. Instead of prepping your rigatoni in tomato sauce, you will slather it in a rich, creamy butternut squash sauce made in a slow cooker. One taste of this sauce and you may never go back to tomatoes. Get the recipe here.
How to make slow cooker chicken Parm
Chicken Parmesan in a slow cooker? Yep, you'd better believe it! While many chicken Parm recipes call for a full chicken breast to be coated and fried, then placed atop a bed of pasta, this recipe simplifies the process. You cube the chicken first and then add everything together in the slow cooker. The taste is just as terrific, and the ease of the recipe makes it well worth changing up your game plan. Get the recipe here.
Chicken Parmesan in a slow cooker? Yep, you'd better believe it! While many chicken Parm recipes call for a full chicken breast to be coated and fried, then placed atop a bed of pasta, this recipe simplifies the process. You cube the chicken first and then add everything together in the slow cooker. The taste is just as terrific, and the ease of the recipe makes it well worth changing up your game plan. Get the recipe here.
How to make slow cooker polenta
Polenta is sort of like the Italian version of grits, in that it's a cornmeal dish with a creamy, porridge-like feel to it. While you wouldn't make it the star of a dinner, it's an ideal side dish. It's also incredibly simple to make in a slow cooker. This recipe offers a few variants you may want to try. Put mascarpone cheese in your polenta. Use chicken stock instead of water. Tweak it until it's perfect for you! Get the recipe here.
Polenta is sort of like the Italian version of grits, in that it's a cornmeal dish with a creamy, porridge-like feel to it. While you wouldn't make it the star of a dinner, it's an ideal side dish. It's also incredibly simple to make in a slow cooker. This recipe offers a few variants you may want to try. Put mascarpone cheese in your polenta. Use chicken stock instead of water. Tweak it until it's perfect for you! Get the recipe here.
How to make slow cooker creamy fettuccine Alfredo
Other than spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccine Alfredo may be the first Italian pasta meal people think of. It's so rich and creamy that you can probably already feel it warming your stomach as you read this. This is a very quick recipe to boot, as it takes only 50 minutes total, including cook time. Get the recipe here.
Other than spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccine Alfredo may be the first Italian pasta meal people think of. It's so rich and creamy that you can probably already feel it warming your stomach as you read this. This is a very quick recipe to boot, as it takes only 50 minutes total, including cook time. Get the recipe here.
Slow cooker butternut squash ravioli with kale pesto
We're back to the butternut squash realm. Evidently, butternut squash ravioli is popular enough that you can buy it frozen, but it's still tasty, especially when prepped in a slow cooker. If that's not enough, who isn't intrigued by the idea of a kale pesto? It's healthy AND delicious! Get the recipe here.
We're back to the butternut squash realm. Evidently, butternut squash ravioli is popular enough that you can buy it frozen, but it's still tasty, especially when prepped in a slow cooker. If that's not enough, who isn't intrigued by the idea of a kale pesto? It's healthy AND delicious! Get the recipe here.
Slow cooker pumpkin Alfredo
Look at this delicious pile of Alfredo. Pumpkin Alfredo may seem odd at first blush, but fear not. With cinnamon and nutmeg in the recipe, it's almost like eating a pumpkin pie pasta dish. Doesn't that sound like something you want to try right away? Get the recipe here.
Look at this delicious pile of Alfredo. Pumpkin Alfredo may seem odd at first blush, but fear not. With cinnamon and nutmeg in the recipe, it's almost like eating a pumpkin pie pasta dish. Doesn't that sound like something you want to try right away? Get the recipe here.
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