These slow cooker 4-ingredient cheesy sausage manicotti packets are exactly the kind of dinner I lean on during a packed workweek: minimal prep, easy cleanup, and a meal that still feels cozy and satisfying. Wrapping the manicotti in individual foil packets helps everything cook neatly in the slow cooker while keeping portions simple to serve, and the sausage, cheese, pasta sauce, and manicotti shells turn into a hearty Italian-inspired dinner with almost no fuss.
Serve these packets with a simple green salad, roasted broccoli, or garlic bread if you want to round things out. Since the filling and sauce are rich and cheesy, lighter sides work especially well, and a spoonful of extra warmed pasta sauce or a sprinkle of Parmesan at the table makes them feel a little extra special.
Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Cheesy Sausage Manicotti Packets
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 pound Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 box manicotti shells (8 ounces)
1 jar (24 ounces) pasta sauce
Directions
1. Cook the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned and fully cooked. Drain off any excess grease, then let it cool slightly and stir it together with the ricotta cheese in a bowl.
2. Spoon the sausage and ricotta mixture into the uncooked manicotti shells, filling each one as evenly as possible.
3. Tear off 4 large sheets of foil. Spoon a little pasta sauce onto the center of each sheet, place several filled manicotti shells on top, then spoon more sauce over them. Fold and seal each foil packet tightly so the sauce stays inside while cooking.
4. Stack the foil packets inside a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the manicotti is tender.
5. Carefully remove the packets from the slow cooker, let them rest for a few minutes, then open and serve with extra sauce if desired.
Variations & Tips
Add mozzarella: If you have a fifth ingredient to spare, mix shredded mozzarella into the filling or sprinkle it over the hot manicotti right before serving for an even cheesier finish.
Make-ahead tip: You can assemble the foil packets the night before and refrigerate them. In the morning, just stack them in the slow cooker and start cooking, which is a huge help on busy weekdays.
Sauce shortcut: If your pasta sauce is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons of water before assembling the packets. That little bit of extra moisture helps the manicotti cook more evenly in the slow cooker.
Swap the meat: Mild or hot Italian sausage both work well, and ground beef can be used if that is what you already have in the fridge. Just make sure it is fully cooked and well drained before mixing with the ricotta.
Foil handling tip: Place the sealed packets seam-side up in the slow cooker so they stay closed more easily. Letting them rest a few minutes after cooking also makes them easier to open without losing the sauce.