This little crockpot supper reminds me of the simple campfire meals we used to throw together after a long day of fishing up north—hearty, unfussy, and made mostly from the pantry. Here, dry wagon wheel pasta goes straight into the slow cooker with just four more familiar ingredients to make a creamy, tomato‑cheesy dish that tastes like a hug in a bowl. It’s the kind of comforting, kid‑friendly pasta that has everyone scraping their bowls, and it leans on the same thrifty, practical spirit that’s kept Midwestern farm kitchens humming for generations.
Serve this campfire pasta in warm bowls with a sprinkle of extra shredded cheese or a little black pepper on top. It goes nicely with a simple green salad, steamed green beans, or carrot sticks if you’re feeding little ones. Add some crusty bread, garlic toast, or even buttered hamburger buns to soak up the extra sauce. For a heartier spread, pair it with sliced summer sausage or grilled hot dogs—very much in the spirit of a campground supper brought indoors.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Campfire Wagon Wheel PastaServings: 6
Ingredients
16 ounces dry wagon wheel pasta
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
24 ounces jarred marinara or pasta sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup heavy cream
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with a little oil or nonstick spray so the pasta doesn’t stick too much around the edges.
Pour the dry wagon wheel pasta into the bottom of the slow cooker, spreading it into an even layer. It will look like a deep pile of uncooked pasta wheels in the black crock—just what you want.
Pour the chicken broth evenly over the dry pasta, making sure most of the pasta is moistened. Gently press down any pieces that are sitting high and dry so they touch some liquid.
Pour the jarred marinara or pasta sauce over the pasta and broth. Do not stir aggressively; just nudge it around with a spoon so the sauce is fairly evenly distributed but the pasta mostly stays on the bottom.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. After 1 hour, open the lid and give everything a good but gentle stir, scraping along the bottom so no pasta sticks or clumps.
Recover and continue cooking on HIGH for another 30 to 60 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the wagon wheel pasta is just tender but not mushy. The timing can vary depending on your slow cooker, so start checking at the 1½-hour mark.
Once the pasta is tender and the sauce is bubbling, pour in the heavy cream and stir well to blend it into the tomato sauce. The mixture should look creamy and a bit loose at this point.
Stir in 1½ cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese until it melts into the hot pasta, turning the sauce thick and cheesy. If the mixture seems too thick, you can splash in a bit more broth or a few tablespoons of hot water to loosen it.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Cover the slow cooker again and let it sit on WARM or LOW for about 5 to 10 minutes, just until the cheese on top is melted and gooey.
Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or black pepper if desired, then ladle the campfire pasta into bowls and serve hot while it’s creamy and comforting.
Variations & Tips
For a little more campfire flavor, you can add up to 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes along with the broth and sauce. To make it more like a hearty skillet supper, stir in 1 to 2 cups of cooked, crumbled ground beef or sliced cooked smoked sausage when you add the cream and cheese. If you prefer a milder, sweeter sauce for kids, choose a marinara labeled as such or stir in a teaspoon of sugar to the sauce before cooking. For extra vegetables, you can mix in 1 to 2 cups of thawed frozen peas or mixed vegetables during the last 15 minutes of cooking, just long enough to heat through. Food safety tips: Always use low-sodium broth if you plan to add salty cheeses or meats so the dish doesn’t become overly salty as it reduces. Make sure the pasta and sauce reach a good simmer in the slow cooker (bubbling around the edges) before switching to WARM so everything is properly heated. Do not leave the finished pasta on the WARM setting for more than 2 hours; after serving, cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours in shallow containers. Reheat leftovers thoroughly until steaming hot before eating, and use within 3 to 4 days.
