This 5-ingredient slow cooker ear pasta leans on orecchiette—literally “little ears” in Italian, originally from Puglia. Instead of boiling pasta separately, you scatter the uncooked orecchiette straight into the slow cooker, add four pantry-friendly ingredients, and let gentle heat do the work. The pasta absorbs flavor from a rich tomato-garlic sauce and creamy cheese, giving you a deeply comforting, one-pot meal with almost no effort. It’s the kind of dish you can set up in minutes and serve to friends who will absolutely ask how something this simple tastes so layered.
Serve the pasta straight from the slow cooker with a generous shower of freshly ground black pepper and, if you like, a little extra grated Parmesan at the table. A crisp green salad with a lemony vinaigrette or a simple arugula salad balances the richness nicely. Warm crusty bread or garlic toast is perfect for swiping up the sauce. For a fuller spread, add marinated olives or roasted vegetables on the side, and pair with a medium-bodied Italian red like Montepulciano or a chilled Pinot Grigio.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Ear PastaServings: 4
Ingredients
12 oz uncooked orecchiette pasta
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
2 cups jarred marinara sauce
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Scatter the uncooked orecchiette pasta evenly over the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, so it forms a single, fairly even layer of little bowl-shaped pieces.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and marinara sauce until well combined. This ensures the liquid and tomato base are evenly distributed so the pasta cooks uniformly.
Pour the broth and marinara mixture over the dry orecchiette, making sure all of the pasta is moistened. Gently press down any pieces that are sitting completely above the liquid so they have some contact with the sauce.
Dollop the ricotta over the top in several spoonfuls, spacing it out across the surface. Do not stir; leaving the ricotta in pockets lets it melt into creamy pockets as the pasta cooks.
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly over everything. Again, do not stir—this creates a lightly cheesy, savory layer that will mingle into the sauce as it simmers.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the orecchiette is just tender but not mushy. Begin checking at the 1 1/2-hour mark by tasting a piece of pasta.
Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, gently stir everything together from the bottom up to combine the sauce, melted ricotta, and Parmesan into a creamy, cohesive mixture. If it looks a bit loose, let it sit covered on WARM for 5 to 10 minutes; the pasta will absorb more liquid.
Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or extra Parmesan if needed. Serve hot directly from the slow cooker.
Variations & Tips
For a vegetarian version, simply use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. To add protein without increasing the ingredient count, choose a marinara that already includes ground meat or sausage. If you like a bit of heat, use a spicy arrabbiata-style sauce instead of plain marinara. For a slightly lighter texture, you can swap part of the ricotta for cottage cheese that has been briefly blended until smooth. If you prefer a looser, saucier pasta, add an extra 1/2 cup of broth before cooking; for thicker, more lasagna-like spoonfuls, reduce the broth by 1/2 cup. Orecchiette works especially well here because its “little bowl” shape catches the creamy tomato-cheese sauce, but you can substitute another small, sturdy shape such as small shells or cavatelli if needed—just start checking for doneness a bit earlier, as different shapes cook at different rates. Leftovers reheat nicely with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.
