Set this up before morning mass and came home to something the whole family fought over. Fork-tender and swimming in sauce.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker lenten marinara pasta using mezzi rigatoni is exactly the kind of set-it-and-forget-it dinner I lean on during busy church seasons. You toss everything into the slow cooker before morning mass, head out the door, and walk back into a house that smells like Sunday at your grandma’s. The pasta turns fork-tender and absolutely swimming in rich tomato sauce, so it feels cozy and indulgent even though it’s simple and meatless. It’s a very Midwestern, family-style kind of meal: big slow cooker on the counter, everyone grabbing a spoon to “taste test” the sauce before it hits the table.

Serve this saucy mezzi rigatoni straight from the slow cooker with a big green salad—think romaine, cucumbers, and a zippy vinaigrette—to balance the richness of the marinara. Warm garlic bread or a crusty baguette is perfect for swiping up extra sauce from the bottom of the bowl. If you’re keeping it strictly Lenten, skip any meat add-ins and offer a simple side of steamed or roasted vegetables like broccoli or green beans. A sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Romano on top is optional but highly encouraged if it fits your observance, and a glass of red wine or sparkling water with lemon rounds out the meal.

Servings: 6

1 pound (450 g) dried mezzi rigatoni pasta

Lightly spray the inside of a large slow cooker (5–6 quarts) with nonstick cooking spray to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

Pour the entire jar of marinara sauce into the slow cooker. Add the water (or vegetable broth) and kosher salt, then whisk or stir well until the sauce and liquid are completely combined into a loose, soupy mixture.

Add the dried mezzi rigatoni to the slow cooker and stir, making sure all of the pasta is submerged in the saucy liquid. It will look very loose at this stage—that’s what you want so the pasta can absorb enough moisture and end up fork-tender and swimming in sauce.

Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella (1/2 cup) over the top of the pasta mixture, but do not stir it in. This melts down as it cooks and helps create that rich, slightly cheesy, clingy sauce without turning into a solid cheese layer.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, without lifting the lid during the first 2 1/2 hours. Around the 3-hour mark, check the pasta: it should be tender but not mushy, and the sauce should be thickened and bubbling around the edges.

Once the pasta is fork-tender and the sauce is rich and coating the pasta, stir everything well from the bottom up so the melted cheese and sauce fully combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt if needed.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Cover the slow cooker again and let it sit on WARM (or LOW, if your slow cooker doesn’t have WARM) for 10 to 15 minutes, just until the cheese on top is melted and gooey.

Serve the mezzi rigatoni straight from the slow cooker while hot, making sure to spoon extra sauce over each portion so every bowl is generously coated and truly swimming in sauce. Leftovers can be cooled, stored in an airtight container, and reheated with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.

To keep this recipe Lenten and meatless but add more flavor, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat, or a teaspoon of garlic powder along with the salt. If your observance allows dairy but you want to lighten it up, cut the cheese in half or swap in part-skim mozzarella. For a slightly more indulgent version outside of Lent, you can add 1/2 pound of browned Italian sausage or ground beef to the slow cooker with the sauce and water at the beginning; just know it won’t be Lenten anymore. Whole-wheat or high-protein mezzi rigatoni also work, but they may cook a bit faster, so start checking around the 2 1/2-hour mark. If you prefer extra-saucy pasta (especially if your slow cooker runs hot), add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup of water or broth at the start. For a dairy-free version, simply omit the cheese and finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or fresh herbs like basil or parsley right before serving. This is also a great meal-prep option: measure out the pasta and cheese the night before, and in the morning you only have to dump everything into the slow cooker, stir, and go.