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.
Cooking Pasta as a Separate Step
In some crock pot recipes, you will see them recommend preparing your pasta as directed on the package. Once it is done, you can add it to the crock pot or you can serve your meal on top of the noodles. This approach works best with meats and sauces, as well as recipes like stroganoff.
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.
It is true that cooking your pasta separately takes more work on your part. Instead of just dishing up, you need to boil the water and cook the noodles. This method does make sure your noodles are just right, but it will not work with every crock pot pasta recipe.
Cooking Pasta in the Crock Pot
You will find some recipes are meant for uncooked pasta. While these recipes mean less work for you, the pasta will still need to be added near the end of the total cooking time. This technique would work well for a chicken noodle soup recipe, goulash or ramen. Most pasta should be added about 30 to 60 minutes before serving. For ramen, it only needs to cook on high for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Some recipes require you put the pasta in at the beginning, with the other ingredients. Crockpot lasagna is one example. You can also make an incredible macaroni and cheese in the crock pot, but do not leave it for eight hours. This is a recipe that will be done somewhere between 90 minutes and 2 hours. You can also make baked ziti, stuffed pasta shells, and other similar dishes. Be sure to watch the time on these dishes. They probably will not take all day to cook, and you do not want to end up with mush instead of pasta.
Pasta does just fine in the crock pot. All you need to do for success is to use the right approach for each recipe. Pasta is more delicate than something like beans, so keep an eye on the cooker until you know how the recipe will work. Sometimes it may take a few times to get it right.
Before you know it, you will be turning out delicious pasta meals for your family using your crock pot. Comfort food never tasted so good, or was so easy to make.
Chicken soup can be eaten as a meal or a snack. It is a terrific choice when someone is feeling sick. Studies show it can help people get well from colds and flu. As a snack, it is a great way to fill up kids after school yet still leave them hungry enough at dinner time.
