This 3-ingredient slow cooker tubetti treat is the kind of supper I lean on when the porch swing has kept me longer than the clock says it should. It reminds me of the church potlucks of my childhood here in the rural Midwest, where casseroles bubbled away in old roasters while everyone lingered outside. Dry tubetti pasta goes into the slow cooker with a jar of good, hearty pasta sauce and a generous handful of shredded cheese. By the time you’ve spent a long afternoon on the patio watching the light change, you can lift the lid and find plump little tubes of pasta nestled in a rich, velvety, cheesy sauce, steaming and ready to ladle into bowls with hardly any effort at all.
Spoon this tubetti straight from the slow cooker into warm bowls and pair it with a simple green salad or sliced garden tomatoes dressed with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of oil. A piece of crusty bread or buttered toast is perfect for swiping through the bottom of the bowl to catch the last of the sauce. If you like, set out a small bowl of extra shredded cheese and a pepper grinder so everyone can finish their own serving to taste.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Tubetti SupperServings: 4
Ingredients
2 cups dry tubetti pasta
1 jar (24 ounces) thick tomato pasta sauce (marinara or similar)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a medium slow cooker (about 4 quarts) with a bit of oil or a quick spray so the pasta and cheese don’t stick too much.
Pour the dry tubetti pasta into the slow cooker and spread it into an even layer across the bottom.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella for topping later. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella evenly over the dry tubetti.
Pour the entire jar of tomato pasta sauce over the pasta and cheese. Use a spatula or spoon to gently push the sauce down so it seeps around the pasta, but do not add water. The sauce will loosen and the pasta will plump as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or on LOW for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Do not lift the lid during the first hour; the trapped steam helps the tubetti soften and the sauce become thick and velvety.
After about 1 1/2 hours on HIGH (or 3 hours on LOW), quickly lift the lid and stir from the bottom, making sure the pasta is cooking evenly and is mostly submerged in the bubbling sauce. If some pieces are still a bit firm, smooth the mixture back into an even layer, cover again, and continue cooking in 15-minute increments until the tubetti is tender but not mushy.
Once the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick and glossy, sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella over the top. Cover and let it sit on WARM or LOW for about 10 minutes, just until the cheese melts into a soft, glistening blanket over the surface.
Turn the slow cooker to WARM if your model has that setting. Lift the lid carefully, watching for steam, and give the edges a gentle stir, leaving the melted cheese on top as much as you can. Serve the tubetti hot, scooping down to the bottom so everyone gets plenty of plump pasta and rich, cheesy sauce in each bowl.
Variations & Tips
For extra richness, you can use a pasta sauce that already includes meat, such as a hearty meat marinara, which keeps you within the 3-ingredient promise while adding more flavor and protein. If you prefer a milder, creamier dish, choose a tomato-basil sauce and use half mozzarella and half mild provolone or Monterey Jack. To stretch the meal for more people, you can stir in up to an additional 1/2 cup dry tubetti, but be aware the pasta will absorb more moisture and the finished dish may be a bit thicker and less saucy. If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pasta early so it doesn’t overcook and turn mushy; every slow cooker has its own personality, especially older models. For food safety, always start with a clean slow cooker, keep the lid on during cooking to maintain a safe, even temperature, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving in shallow containers. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through before eating, and use them within 3 to 4 days. If the pasta thickens too much when reheated, stir in a spoonful or two of water or extra sauce to loosen it before serving.
