Italian food is one of the most popular kinds of food out there, and it’s no surprise as to why!
There are so many different dishes you can make and they cater to so many different dietary needs, not to mention they all taste fantastic!
But did you know that most Italian dishes can be made in a slow cooker?
This means you can enjoy Italian food whenever you want to, and if you have a particularly busy day, you can leave the dish to cook so it will be ready when you get home.
If you’re in the mood for some Italian food and you want to make use of your slow cooker, then you’ve come to the right place!
We’re going to be taking a look at 26 of the best Italian slow cooker recipes you need to try today!
1. Simple Crock Pot Italian Beef Stew
Hearty and delicious, this Italian beef stew is perfect for the colder half of the year because it’s incredibly comforting and warm.
You will be using red wine in this dish to make it rich and full of flavor, and it goes so well with the beef.
This recipe is incredibly delicious and full of intense flavors, you will find it incredibly indulgent with every single bite.
2. Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
This recipe is inspired by Tuscan cuisine, and it is absolutely incredible. It’s super creamy, with juicy chicken and the whole family will absolutely love it.
Just the smell of this dish cooking will be enough to make your mouth water! It is covered in delicious Italian herbs and cooked to absolute perfection.
Your slow cooker will do all the work in terms of blending the flavors together, so when it’s finished cooking, all you have to do is serve it!
3. Crockpot Italian Meatballs
Everyone loves meatballs, but this recipe is extra special because you will be using parmesan in the patties.
This means the meatballs will be a lot creamier and richer, which also means they will taste a million times better!
You can use whatever meat takes your fancy, but it is recommended to choose between beef or pork for the best results.
Whichever you choose to use, they will be cooked into beautiful meatballs in your slow cooker and then you can pair them with whatever pasta or related dish you want.
4. Slow Cooker Lasagna
Because slow cookers evenly distribute heat, that means that you are guaranteed to cook this lasagna without having to worry about any cold spots!
You can put the lasagna noodles in raw too, so really all you have to worry about is layering it correctly and to your liking!
The slow cooker really will do all the work for you and the results are absolutely fantastic.
This is such an easy recipe to make, so even if you’ve never made lasagna before, your whole family will love the end result.
5. Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
Having a homemade spaghetti sauce recipe handy is always a good idea, and this recipe is perfect if you want to make it in the slow cooker.
All the ingredients have plenty of time to marinate in this recipe, which means the end result will be filled with rich and intense flavors.
You can use this spaghetti sauce for whatever you’d like once it’s done as well, so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit with different pasta shapes and dishes.
6. Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
If you have never tried ragu before, it’s quite similar to bolognese sauce, but it is a lot thicker and it uses red wine to make it even richer.
This is a great recipe for all the meat lovers out there because ragu is meant to be extremely meaty.
You can use ground beef for this recipe, but it’s highly recommended that you use beef brisket or round roast instead as it will make the whole dish more flavorful.
As the slow cooker will be doing most of the work, this recipe is actually really easy to make.
7. Slow Cooker Caponata Pasta
If you really enjoy eggplants and other vegetables, then you are going to love this caponata recipe.
You will need to cut your vegetables into small pieces and then season them in Agrodolce sauce to bring this recipe to life.
Because you will be making this recipe in your slow cooker, it makes the whole process even easier.
Cut down all your vegetables as you would normally and then throw them into the slow cooker, along with broth, wine vinegar, and canned tomatoes.
The results are absolutely delicious as well, and you will absolutely love this dish once it is ready to serve.
8. Slow Cooker Manicotti
Manicotti is a type of pasta that is similar to macaroni, but it is a lot bigger and straighter.
Manicotti is typically used for stuffing other ingredients inside, and it is very popular in Italy.
This recipe will show you how to make cheese-stuffed manicotti, but there’s plenty of room for you to experiment by adding vegetables and meat too.
Regardless of what you stuff into this manicotti recipe, you will be blown away by the delicious results!
9. Round Steak Italiano
Steak is loved by so many people around the world, but the biggest issue most people have with it is that it can get a bit chewy as you eat it.
If you make it in the slow cooker though, this won’t be a problem you have to deal with.
This recipe calls for steak, potatoes, canola oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar to create a vibrant dish that is hearty and filled with flavor.
You will have to leave this dish cooking for 7 hours in your slow cooker, but it’s totally worth it for the tasty results.
10. Slow-Cooked Chicken Alfredo
This chicken alfredo recipe is incredibly creamy and cheesy. It’s also lovely and juicy thanks to the chicken!
For this recipe, you will of course need chicken, as well as heavy cream, butter, and parmesan cheese to bring it to life.
This is an easy recipe to make on its own, but when you use a slow cooker, it’s even easier!
You will have no issues following this recipe and creating a delicious chicken alfredo dish for you and your family.
This recipe is quite nutritious as well, making it slightly healthier, but still filled with fantastic flavor.
11. Minestrone Soup
This is one of the most popular Italian dishes in the world, and it’s no real surprise as to why!
It’s filled with delicious vegetables and it’s incredibly warm and hearty, whoever you serve it to will absolutely love it.
Some of the main ingredients in this dish include carrot, garlic, onion, and red kidney beans.
It’s meant to be a vegetarian dish, but if you want to add some meat in, you definitely can!
Regardless of what extra ingredients you put in this soup, the original recipe is definitely worth trying the first time you make it.
12. Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
Making a full-on pizza in your slow cooker would be a bit of a challenge, but that’s what this pizza casserole is for!
You will be using pasta for this delicious dish and it tastes just like a pizza, so you really get the best of both worlds.
Some of the other ingredients in this recipe include marinara sauce, cheese, and a whole lot of pepperoni.
The ingredients come together to create a beautiful dish that is incredibly rich and full of flavor.
13. Crock Pot Italian Sloppy Joe
If you love classic sloppy joes, then you are going to love this Italian version!
It’s a bit lighter than the classic recipe and you will be using turkey to bring it to life.
Some of the other ingredients included in this dish are bell peppers, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, and fresh cracked pepper and they come together to create a fantastic mix of flavors that you will want to eat again and again.
14. Soft And Creamy Slow Cooker Polenta
Polenta is a creamy Italian rice dish that is incredibly delicious and super moreish.
You will need a lot of parmesan cheese for this recipe in order to get it to the right consistency, but if you really love cheese, you can also try using cheddar, gouda, or even Monterey Jack.
Once you are happy with how it’s been layered, the slow cooker will do the rest of the work for you.
If you have never tried polenta before then you are in for a real treat!
15. Slow Cooker Cheesy Tortellini
Pasta is amazing, but if you really want to take it to the next level, you need to bring tortellini into your life!
It’s a bit similar to ravioli, in the sense, it’s stuffed pasta, and this three-cheese recipe is absolutely out of this world.
You can mix and match between different cheeses if you want and you can also add spinach to the recipe to make it even better!
16. Slow-Cooked Pasta E Fagioli
This recipe is mainly made up of pasta and beans, hence why it’s called Pasta E Fagioli!
You usually use short-pipe pasta such as macaroni and any beans like kidney beans or cannellini beans.
This is an incredibly hearty and comforting dish that will fill you up on cold days.
Along with the pasta and beans, you will also be using cheese, vegetables, condiments, and herbs to bring this dish to life.
17. Slow-Cooked Italian Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are a great addition to your meal and they work especially well as appetizers.
These stuffed peppers are made with cheese and vegetables, but it doesn’t stop there!
The vegetables are then stuffed with sausage, cheese, and more vegetables!
You will absolutely love this recipe once you give it a try for yourself and it couldn’t be easier to make either!
Because you will be cooking them in your slow cooker, you don’t have to worry about them being cooked evenly, you just need to worry about stuffing them!
18. Slow-Cooked Turkey Pesto Meatballs
We’ve mentioned meatballs already on this list, but this version is even better!
You will be creating a pesto-like sauce to coat your meatballs and the meatballs themselves will be made using turkey.
The results are absolutely incredible. Some of the other ingredients you will be using to bring this recipe to life include parmesan, walnuts, some condiments, and herbs, as well as eggs and breadcrumbs for the meatballs.
19. Slow-Cooked Beef Braciole
This recipe is perfect for the slow cooker. It is filled with lots of intense and rich flavors, all perfectly complementing each other.
Some of the main ingredients in this dish include sliced beef with salt and pepper, breadcrumbs, cheese, egg, parsley, and prosciutto.
You will also be using a marinara sauce that works perfectly with all the other ingredients.
This is a really easy recipe to make and because it’s so slow-cooker friendly, you can let the slow cooker do most of the work!
20. Slow-Cooked Italian Sausages And Peppers
Bell peppers are quite popular in Italian food because they are filled with flavor and are incredibly versatile.
Bell peppers pair with sausages especially well too, and that’s what this dish is made of.
Because you will be slow cooking this dish, the flavors will blend together even nicer and you will be left with an absolutely delicious and aromatic recipe that the whole family will enjoy.
This is such an easy recipe to put together as well and you will enjoy every single bite.
21. Slow-Cooked Cajun Chicken Fettuccine
This recipe combines Cajun and Italian cooking to create an absolutely delicious dish that you will adore.
This recipe contains onions, celery, and bell peppers thanks to the Cajun elements, and beautiful pasta thanks to the Italian elements.
They come together to create an earthy yet spicy dish that your whole family will love.
22. Slow-Cooked Spumoni Cake
Spumoni is similar in texture to gelato or ice cream and resembles the colors of the Italian flag.
This version of spumoni is made into a delicious cake that has a beautiful garnish of nuts and fruit.
Because you will be slow cooking this cake, it means that you will get more intense and sweet flavors in the final product, which makes it even more delicious!
23. Tortellini Soup
Tortellini is great as it is, but once you try it in soup form, you’ll never want to eat it any other way!
The cheese and the meat are complimented by the tangy soup broth and this soup is absolutely delightful!
24. Conchiglioni Ripieni Al Forno
Also known as “stuffed shells with ground beef” this is an incredibly tasty Italian dish that is deliciously filling.
You will quite literally be stuffing pasta shells with ground beef to create a dish that is absolutely spectacular.
25. Melanzane Alla Parmigiana
This recipe is made of eggplant and parmesan cheese, and it’s super crunchy and creamy.
It’s a wonderful meal to make if you want something vegetarian and it’s super easy to make if you have a slow cooker!
26. Chicken Puttanesca
Puttanesca is fantastic as it is, but chicken puttanesca really takes this classic recipe to the next level!
It’s super rich in flavor, juicy, and incredibly aromatic, and is super easy to make!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can definitely put raw/dry pasta in your slow cooker!
The slow cooker will cook the pasta, all you need to do is make sure you have layered it properly and check it periodically.
For the first hour, it’s best to cook meat on high.
After that hour has passed, you will want to turn your slow cooker onto the lower setting.
This will ensure that the meat is cooked thoroughly and properly.
Yes, you can! You just need to make sure the meat you are using is thoroughly cooked through, to avoid food poisoning.
Beef works especially well if you want to cook raw meat in the slow cooker.
Conclusion
You wont be disappointed with any of these recipes once you try them! Have a go at making them today and see which one is your favorite!
26 Of The Best Italian Slow Cooker Recipes
Are you in the mood for some slow cooker food? Click here to learn about 26 of the best Italian slow cooker recipes you absolutely need to try!
Ingredients
Directions
- Pick from the list above
- Click the recipe name and visit the website
- Collect the ingredients and cook the food
- Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review
Recipe Video
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
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