19 Slow Cooker Italian Recipes for Low-Key Weeknight Dinners (2024)

Come home to a comforting hands-off dinner with our array of Italian slow cooker recipes. With slow cooker makeovers for takeout Italian beef and just-like-Grandma-made slow cooker Italian soups, these easy slow cooker Italian recipes will transport your taste buds.

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Spicy Turkey Lasagna

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Give lightened lasagna complex flavor with dried oregano and crushed red pepper. They flavor the layered pasta's lean ground turkey and rich cheesy filling. Serve the Italian slow cooker recipe with a fresh salad (and a bottle of Italian red wine, if you like) to complete the cozy feast.

The 7 Best Small Slow Cookers for Entertaining, Meal Prep, and More, According to Testing

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Pasta with Beef-Fennel Ragu

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This two-part recipe might be one of the easiest pasta party entrées you'll ever whip up. Start the slow cooker with Italian beef, fennel, and tomato ragu first, and allow it to simmer low and slow from breakfast until about dinnertime. For the final 20 minutes, stir in a box of no-boil penne and allow it to cook until al dente. That's it!

03of 19

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

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Transform a humble loaf of ciabatta bread into a memorable meal with this slow cooker Italian chicken masterpiece. The secret lies in the combination of Mediterranean ingredients in the sandwich filling. Chicken breasts simmered with tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers make for a brilliant display of color, texture, and flavor.

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Mushroom Risotto with Peas

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Silky risotto is hard to resist, but it can be a hassle to make on the stove top. Here, the slow cooker does all the "stirring" for you. Arborio rice is short and plump so develops a creamy texture as it soaks up the chicken broth. Pair the grain with fresh mushrooms, peas, and garlic in a white wine broth for an elegant slow cooker Italian rice dinner that is irresistibly smooth.

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Italian-Style Slow Cooker Meatloaf

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We're giving the classic American comfort food a complete Mediterranean makeover. This slow cooker Italian beef meatloaf recipe features parsley, garlic, and balsamic vinegar for a taste of Italy in a picky-eater-friendly package. (Psst...try leftover slices between two slices of toasted bread.)

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Slow Cooker Lentils Bolognese

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This vegetarian take on classic bolognese sauce is loaded with lentils, carrots, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. It all cooks in the slow cooker for 10 hours. Mushrooms add a meaty flavor and texture.

07of 19

Beef and Carrot Ragu

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Wide, ridged noodles are the perfect accompaniment to this chunky slow cooker pasta sauce featuring carrots and roma tomatoes. The thick ragu clings to the pasta and tender slow cooker Italian beef short ribs. The ragu calls for a half cup of red wine: Crack open a canned wine and you'll have enough left over for two small glasses to savor with dinner.

08of 19

Warm Eggplant and Kale Panzanella

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Salads might seem surprising from the slow cooker, but the fresh eggplant and bell peppers in this panzanella benefit from its hassle-free heat. Combined with tender kale and toasted bread crumbs, the Italian slow cooker recipe makes a low-calorie—yet surprisingly filling—entrée. To please those with heartier appetites, top each serving with grilled steak, shrimp, or salmon.

09of 19

Italian Pork with Sweet Potatoes

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Dig into fork-tender pork shoulder roast, no smoker required. A fennel seed rub coats this pork with extraordinary licoricelike flavor; golden orange potatoes add the right amount of sweetness to the Italian slow cooker recipe.

Test Kitchen Tip: Shred any leftover meat and fold it into frittata batter for brunch the next day or stuff into rolls for sandwiches for lunch or dinner.

Stuffed Artichokes with Spicy Italian Sausage and Sweet Red Pepper

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Steamed artichokes are easier than ever when you employ this handy countertop appliance. Filling enough to be an entrée but ideal as a showy dinner party side, these artichokes stuffed with slow cooker Italian sausage will have everyone begging for the recipe.

How to Cook Artichokes

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Saucy Ravioli with Meatballs

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Score three affordable supermarket items—spaghetti sauce, frozen ravioli, and frozen Italian meatballs—to get a head start on this easy supper. The only other things you'll need to complete the slow cooker Italian meatball and pasta entrée are a few hours of cook time and two types of cheese.

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Italian Braised Chicken with Fennel and Cannellini

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Gluten-free Italian dinners do exist! And you won't miss the pasta or pizza crust here. Fennel provides subtle sweetness to the simmered sauce that blankets this slow cooker Italian chicken recipe. Versatile cannellini beans and yellow bell peppers keep the meal hearty and healthy.

13of 19

Meatball Sandwiches

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Simmer homemade beef meatballs in your slow cooker to create this easy Italian dinner idea. Serve the saucy meatballs with crusty bread, slices of mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil.

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Slow Cooker Pumpkin Farrotto

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This easy slow cooker Italian recipe is our go-to for dinner parties and weeknight meals alike. It's as simple as tossing ingredients in your slow cooker but the results are impressive and totally indulgent.

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Gluten Free Supreme Pizza Fondue

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Serve this slow cooker Italian dinner with fresh veggies, cheese, and bread for dipping. For more flavor, try adding garlic and dried oregano to bottled sauce when making the recipe.

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Slow Cooker Ribollita

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Ribollita is a Tuscan soup made with bread, beans, and vegetables. The broth is flavored with garlic, thyme, and Parmesan cheese. This Italian slow cooker stew is best served with a drizzle of olive oil.

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Minestrone

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This take on minestrone soup is loaded with beef and bow tie pasta. A mixture of kidney and cannellini beans beans adds loads of texture to this Italian soup. Top this slow cooker recipe with grated Parmesan cheese.

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Slow Cooker Ziti with Italian Chicken Sausage

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If you're in a hurry, we've also included a variation for making this slow cooker pasta dish in the pressure cooker. You'll love the flavorful sauce made with chicken sausage, garlic, and Italian seasoning.

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Fast or Slow Seafood Cioppino

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19 Slow Cooker Italian Recipes for Low-Key Weeknight Dinners (19)

This Italian slow cooker soup is loaded with halibut, shrimp, and crab. The seafood is brightened up with white wine, tomatoes, and clam juice. Serve it with a crusty baguette for dipping.

19 Slow Cooker Italian Recipes for Low-Key Weeknight Dinners (2024)

FAQs

What do you serve at an Italian dinner party? ›

Italian Dinner Party Menu:
  • Drinks: Aperol Spritz Station.
  • Appetizers: Melon Prosciutto (I skipped the arugula listed in the ingredients) and Peach Caprese.
  • Salad: Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Vin.
  • Main: Seafood Pasta or Three Cheese Pizza.
  • Dessert: Peach and Berry Cobbler with Ice Cream.
Jul 16, 2020

What is just enough in Italian cooking? ›

Quanto Basta: This phrase roughly translates to “just enough.” It is used to describe how much of an ingredient should be added. It is essentially the Italian version of “to taste.”

What do you serve on an Italian buffet? ›

  • 1Crispy air fryer Italian frittole. ...
  • 2Italian grazing plate. ...
  • 3Polenta chips with pesto dipping sauce. ...
  • 4Cheat's gelato pavlova. ...
  • 5Florentine potato bake. ...
  • 6Confit tomato and ricotta crostini. ...
  • 7Crusty Italian bread. ...
  • 8Semi-dried tomato arancini.

What foods should be slow cooked? ›

Stews, soups and roasts do really well when slow cooked. You can cut the time with a pressure cooker (instapot) and then letting the meal cook for additional time on warm to let the spices cook in.

What is the most popular dinner in Italy? ›

Pizza. Besides pasta, pizza is perhaps the most popular and recognized Italian food. Pizza is considered a national symbol representing Italy to the rest of the world, so much so that UNESCO has acknowledged pizza as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

What is a classic Italian dinner? ›

Pasta, risotto, soup, polenta, and casserole—the “pastabilities” are endless when choosing what primo piatto you want to indulge in. By the time primi rolls around, you're absolutely famished. As you can tell, this course is definitely heavier than the first two but will be a little lighter than the Secondi Piatti.

Why do Italian waiters say Prego? ›

Prego is the direct response to grazie and means, “You're welcome.” It is derived from the verb of politeness pregare, which has several meanings.

What is a very Italian thing to say? ›

Daily Italian phrases: Formal
ItalianEnglishSituation
Buona giornataHave a nice dayWhen you are leaving during the day
Buona serataHave a nice eveningWhen you are leaving during the evening
GrazieThank youWhen you are thanking someone
PregoYou're welcomeWhen you are responding to a thank you and in a number of situations
5 more rows

What should you say to everyone before you start to eat in Italian? ›

Before starting to eat, you should always say Buon appetito! to your tablemates. Literally, this expression means “Good appetite,” but it really means, in context, “Enjoy your meal.”

What is a typical Italian dinner at home? ›

  1. Chicken Scallopine with Sage and Fontina Cheese.
  2. Lighter Chicken Parmesan.
  3. Gnocchi with Goat Cheese and Spinach.
  4. Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs.
  5. Balin's Spiced Beef Roast.
  6. Italian Braised Beef with Parmesan Polenta.
  7. Chicken Scallopine with Sage and Fontina Cheese.
  8. Lighter Chicken Parmesan.
Sep 14, 2022

What are the top five Italian dishes? ›

5 Of The World's Most Famous Italian Dishes
  • Pizza Napoletana. Italian cooking's very essence can be summed up on how they make pizza. ...
  • Lasagna. Lasagne in Italian, this classic pasta recipe is on everyone's list of comfort food. ...
  • Gelato. ...
  • Spaghetti Carbonara. ...
  • Risotto.
Dec 15, 2021

What should you not put in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make In A Slow Cooker
  1. Dairy. Adding milk, cream, cheese, sour cream, or yogurt to a slow cooker will curdle them. ...
  2. Couscous. It'll only get mushy and completely unappetizing. ...
  3. Rice. ...
  4. Pasta. ...
  5. Boneless Chicken Breast. ...
  6. Raw Meat. ...
  7. Extra Fat. ...
  8. Delicate Vegetables.
Feb 2, 2017

Is a Crockpot the same as a slow cooker? ›

A slow cooker and a Crockpot are the same thing, essentially. A slow cooker is an appliance of which there are lots of brands. Crockpot is one brand of slow cooker. Crockpot popularized slow cookers when they launched their version in the 1970s.

What is the best meat to cook in a slow cooker? ›

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

What three things are always served on the Italian dinner table? ›

Antipasto, Primo, Secondo, Contorno e Dolce

Commonly an Italian dinner will have a Primo (first course) such as pasta or soup, and a Secondo (second course) typically meat or fish served with a Contorno (side) of vegetables or salad.

How do you host a dinner party like an Italian? ›

Hint: It's really not that hard!
  1. Invite your dearest friends and family members. In Italian culture, we show our love through food. ...
  2. Antipasto before the meal even begins as people gather. ...
  3. Make sure you've got the best kind of wine! ...
  4. Serve your dinner the way Italians do. ...
  5. Embrace la dolce vita.
Nov 16, 2023

What are the 5 courses in an Italian meal? ›

The Traditional Italian Meal Structure
  • Aperitivo. The Aperitivio is a pre-meal drink designed to cleanse and wet your palate before beginning the first course. ...
  • Antipasto. This traditional Italian meal starts with something to nibble on before the main courses commence. ...
  • Primo. ...
  • Secondo. ...
  • Dolce. ...
  • Digestivo.

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