Slow Cooker Spinach Pasta Primavera

Slow Cooker Spinach Pasta Primavera. Toss spinach, pasta, and just 4 more simple ingredients into your slow cooker — and get ready for a dinner that everyone at the table will absolutely love!

You know that cozy feeling when something smells amazing and you didn’t even have to stand over the stove? That’s exactly what this dish gives you. I started making this on busy days when I needed dinner to basically take care of itself. It’s creamy, full of colorful veggies, and honestly tastes way fancier than how easy it is to make.

Slow Cooker Spinach Pasta Primavera

Serves 6

Ingredients

• uncooked short pasta (penne, rotini, or shells work great) → 8 oz
• low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth → 3 cups
• heavy cream or half-and-half → 1 cup
• grated Parmesan cheese — use ¾ cup for the sauce, save ¼ cup for topping → 1 cup
• fresh baby spinach, loosely packed → 3 cups
• small broccoli florets → 1 cup
• sliced carrots (around 2 medium carrots) → 1 cup
• sliced bell peppers, any color you like → 1 cup
• cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half → 1 cup
• frozen peas — no need to thaw them first → ½ cup
• garlic cloves, minced → 3
• small yellow onion, finely chopped → 1
• olive oil or melted butter → 2 tbsp
• dried Italian seasoning → 1 tsp
• dried basil (optional, but adds nice flavor) → ½ tsp
• salt, plus more to taste → ½ tsp
• black pepper → ¼ tsp
• red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat) → a small pinch
• fresh parsley or extra spinach, chopped, for garnish → as needed

How to Make It

1. Get your slow cooker ready
   Lightly coat the inside of a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker with olive oil or nonstick spray. This keeps the pasta from sticking to the sides and bottom.
2. Add your veggies (not the spinach yet)
   Place the onion, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, frozen peas, and tomatoes into the slow cooker. Drizzle the olive oil or butter over everything. Then sprinkle in the garlic, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you’re using them.
3. Pour in the dry pasta
   Spread the uncooked pasta right on top of the vegetables in an even layer. Don’t stir it yet! Keeping the pasta on top helps it cook through more evenly without turning mushy.
4. Mix your creamy sauce
   In a bowl, whisk the broth and cream together. Stir in the ¾ cup of Parmesan until it mostly dissolves into the liquid. This mixture becomes your rich, silky sauce.
5. Pour it all in
   Carefully pour the cream mixture over the pasta and vegetables. The pasta should be just barely covered by the liquid. If needed, gently press it down with a spoon — but hold off on stirring everything together for now.
6. Let it cook low and slow
   Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 2½ to 3 hours, until the pasta is tender. Slow cookers can vary, so start checking at the 2-hour mark. Give it a gentle stir when you peek to help things cook evenly.
7. Stir in the spinach
   Once the pasta is soft and cooked through, add the fresh spinach in small handfuls, folding it in gently. The heat from the pasta and sauce will wilt it down fast. If things look a little thick or dry, splash in a bit more broth or cream to loosen it up.
8. Taste and finish
   Taste it, then add more salt or pepper if you think it needs it. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan on top, put the lid back on, and let it sit on WARM or LOW for another 5 to 10 minutes. This little rest lets all the flavors come together beautifully.
9. Serve and enjoy
   Scoop the pasta into warm bowls. Top with chopped parsley or a few torn spinach leaves if you’d like a pretty finish. Set out extra Parmesan for anyone who wants more. Best served right away while it’s still hot and creamy!

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