Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Crock Pot Pasta

Delicious pasta dishes are only a crock pot away. While it is true that pasta can be a bit tricky in the crock pot, with a little knowledge you will soon be turning out perfect pasta. There are several ways you can do pasta when you use the crock pot, and it all depends on what recipe you decide to make.

Putting on the Kettle

In some recipes, it is recommended to cook your pasta completely before adding it to your recipe. Alternatively, your crock pot contents might be served on a bed of noodles. You may find this works well with stroganoff, roasted meats with sauces, and other similar recipes.

Some recipes may ask you to partially cook your pasta in boiling water until it is just barely tender. They then suggest adding the semi-cooked pasta to the crock pot for the last half hour or so of cooking. You may use this technique with dishes like chicken Alfredo, casseroles and other meals. This method allows the noodles to finish cooking in the crock pot, soaking up some of the flavors in the sauce.

Making the pasta separately is more work than just using the crock pot. However, taking the time to boil your water and cook the pasta just right gives you perfect noodles when you need them. This technique is not appropriate for all recipes, however.

Just Drop It In

Some recipes that you find for the crock pot call for uncooked pasta. They mean less work for you, though in most cases the pasta is still added in towards the end. This technique works well for homemade chicken noodle soup, ramen or goulash. Standard types of pasta should be added to your crock pot about half an hour to an hour before serving. If you are making a ramen soup, the thin noodles only take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook if your crock pot is on the high setting.

You will also find recipes that need the pasta added at the very beginning. An example of this type of dish would be crock pot lasagna. Macaroni and cheese is also nice and creamy in the crock pot, but it is a dish that only takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours to cook. Leaving it any longer will result in mushy noodles. Baked ziti, stuffed shells, and thicker casseroles will have this requirement. Watch your cooking time, because these dishes often do not take all day to cook. Overcooked noodles will be soft and shapeless.

As you can see, you can cook pasta in the crock pot. You just need to tailor your techniques to the recipe. Pasta is a bit delicate as a crock pot ingredient, so watch the pot until you know how a recipe will turn out. With some, it may take an attempt or two to get it just right.

You will soon be feeding your family delicious meals featuring pasta from your crock pot. Pasta is true comfort food, and it has never been easier.

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