A simple slow cooker pasta dish where the sauce and pasta are cooked together. Three types of tomato and spinach are the base of this delicious saucy pasta.

If you've been following my recipes this winter, you'll be feeling my love for my slow cooker. It used to be pulled out once or twice a year, used, then stored again, but not really loved or appreciated.

I felt uninspired, thinking it was really a good gadget for meat-eaters, but not great for vegetarians or vegans. I couldn't really think of anything but soup to make in it.

This year, with my new larger slow cooker I'm created all sorts of different dishes and really loving it.

I realise now how wrong I 

Related - Slow Cooker Pizza Potatoes

WINTER SLOW COOKER RECIPES

Slow Cooker Pasta

This winter I've created three pasta dishes including this new recipe.

I created my triple tomato and spinach pasta, luxury slow cooker mac and cheese and giant pasta shells stuffed with cream cheese and spinach in a tomato sauce.

Pasta in the slow cooker has been such a revelation to me. Just one pot and throw it all in. So, so easy. and less washing up. 

try Slow Cooker Extra Vegetable Pasta next

Slow Cooker Stew

I've only made one stew in it this winter, but it was a real doozy. A rich vegan Irish stew full of winter vegetables and pulses in a rich gravy made with beer.

It's been real popular too, with lots of people visiting to pick up the recipe and several readers telling me they've made it and really enjoyed. it.

Slow Cooker Soup

I've made a few family favourite soups in my slow cooker this season, including a big batch of my carrot and coriander soup for Christmas Day and I also created a traditional Scottish slow cooker vegetable soup.

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

I also made mulled wine with orange liqueur in my slow cooker. Lovely spiced wine (or you could do this with cider), kept warm and ready to serve to guests to take off the chill when they come in from the cold.

Last year I also made a vegan sausage birra, an aubergine and onion masala curry and a slow cooker veggie sausage, mushroom and chickpea stew.

Slow Cooker Triple Tomato and Spinach Pasta

For this slow cooker pasta dish, I wanted to just throw everything in and I knew I wanted a comforting rich tomato sauce.

I called this triple tomato sauce, but actually if you include the tomato puree there are actually four types of tomato in this recipe. Tinned chopped tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and of course some tomato puree for richness and a bit of sweetness.

I also included a generous layer of spinach to make this pasta sauce even more nutritious.

Which pasta should I use?

I used shell pasta or conchiglioni as it is sometimes known. I picked this pasta as it will fill up with sauce beautifully, but is also quite substantial.

Penne pasta would also work in this dish.

You don't need to pre-cook the pasta, just weigh (or judge from the packet size and quantity, ahem), then throw it in with the other ingredients and give it a good stir. 

Adding liquid to one-pot pasta

Of course it does need some liquid, as there isn't enough liquid in the chopped tomatoes, so I added vegetable stock. 

One thing you need to remember about adding liquid to slow cooker dishes. It just doesn't need as much as it would if you made it in a pot on the slow cooker and we aren't just talking about pasta either.

I really don't know the science behind it, but it is a gentle heat, so I imagine it doesn't reduce down the liquid the same as a pot over a medium to high heat. Also the lid is on during cooking, so it almost steams at the same time.

It is said that you should reduce the liquid by about a third. I always think it is easier to add more stock or water during cooking rather than put too much in at the beginning and drowning the dish.

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dinner

Italian, slow cooker, crockpot, vegan, vegetarian

Yield: 4-6Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Slow Cooker Triple Tomato and Spinach Pasta

A simple slow cooker pasta dish where the sauce and pasta are cooked together. Three types of tomato and spinach are the base of this delicious saucy pasta.

prep time: 5 minscook time: 2 hour and 30 minstotal time: 2 hours and 35 mins

ingredients

• 300g shell pasta
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 50g fresh spinach
• 10-12 sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp of oil from the sundried tomatoes jar
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 400ml vegetable stock (2 stock cubes)
• a good grinding of salt and pepper

instructions

1. Pour all the ingredients into the slow cooker pot.
2. Stir well.
3. Set on high for 2 hours 30 minutes and start.
4. Stir a couple of times while cooking and check to see if it need a little more hot water in the last half hour of cooking.
5. Serve and enjoy!

NOTES:

Calories and nutrition for 4 large portions.

calories
306

fat (grams)
8.9

sat. fat (grams)
1.2

carbs (grams)
46.7

protein (grams)
10.1

sugar (grams)
2.8

Created using The Recipes Generator

TRY THIS NEXT

Slow Cooker Potato & Haricot Bean Stew

A lightly spiced vegan casserole made in the slow cooker. Potatoes, carrots and haricot beans in a spicy tomato sauce makes a comforting family meal. Leftover portions can be chilled or frozen for another day.

For more vegetarian and vegan slow cooker recipes, check out my page Easy Vegetarian and Vegan Slow Cooker Recipes