Springtime Simplicity: Just 5 ingredients. The best choice when you need a hearty meal without standing over the stove all day.

This slow cooker paccheri is the kind of hearty, hands-off meal that makes busy days feel a little gentler. Dry paccheri pasta slowly soaks up a rich, meaty tomato sauce right in the slow cooker, turning into big, glossy tubes nestled in a dark, velvety reduction. With just five ingredients and almost no babysitting, it’s perfect for weeknights, game days, or any time you want a comforting Italian-style dinner without standing over the stove all afternoon.

Spoon the glossy paccheri and sauce into warm bowls and top with a little extra grated Parmesan, if you like. A simple green salad with a bright vinaigrette helps balance the richness, and some crusty bread or garlic toast is great for soaking up the extra sauce. For family dinners, I like to set out a bowl of steamed green beans or roasted broccoli so everyone can add a veggie to their plate without any fuss.

Servings: 4-6

1 pound dry paccheri pasta

Lightly grease the inside of a large slow cooker with a bit of oil or cooking spray to help prevent sticking.

Place the beef chuck pieces in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.

In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the marinara sauce and beef broth until well combined. Pour this mixture over the beef, making sure the meat is mostly submerged.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. The sauce should look dark, rich, and slightly thickened around the edges.

Use two forks to gently shred or break the beef into bite-size pieces right in the slow cooker, stirring it through the sauce so everything is evenly distributed.

Stir in the dry paccheri, pressing the pasta down so it is mostly covered by the sauce. If needed, spoon some of the sauce over the top of the pasta to help it soften evenly.

Re-cover and cook on HIGH for 30–45 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking, until the paccheri is glossy, tender, and has absorbed much of the sauce. The mixture should look thick, steamy, and almost gelatinous from the beef and starches.

Once the paccheri is al dente and the sauce is clinging nicely to the tubes, sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top and gently fold it in until melted and the sauce looks even richer and slightly creamy.

Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt if needed (keeping in mind the Parmesan is salty), then let the pasta rest, covered, for 5 minutes to thicken before serving straight from the slow cooker.

For picky eaters, you can use a very smooth marinara with no visible chunks and cut the beef into smaller pieces before cooking so there are fewer big bites of meat. If your family prefers a milder flavor, choose a plain or basil marinara instead of a spicy one. You can swap the beef chuck for boneless pork shoulder or country-style ribs for a slightly sweeter, porky sauce, or use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a lighter version (reduce the broth to 1 1/2 cups if using chicken so the sauce still thickens nicely). For a bit of extra richness, stir in a small splash of cream or a pat of butter along with the Parmesan at the end. If you need to stretch the meal, add another 4 ounces of pasta and an extra 1/2 cup of broth, but watch closely so the pasta doesn’t overcook. Food safety tips: Always keep raw meat refrigerated until you’re ready to add it to the slow cooker, and don’t leave the slow cooker on the WARM setting for more than 2 hours after cooking is done. Make sure the beef reaches at least 145°F internally, though slow-cooked beef will typically go much higher as it becomes tender. Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before serving again.