This little slow cooker pasta is what I’d call a poor man’s spring supper: humble, pantry-only, and still pretty enough to feel special. It starts with dry campanelle pasta scattered right into the crock, then soaks up a simple broth-and-cream cheese sauce with a handful of peas to give it that fresh, green promise of spring. It reminds me of the kind of thrifty meals my mother would pull together on the farm when payday was still a few days off, yet everyone left the table full and happy. With just four ingredients and almost no fuss, it’s the sort of dish that will have your husband wandering back into the kitchen, bowl in hand, asking if there’s any more left in the pot.
Serve this slow cooker campanelle straight from the crock on warm plates, with a generous grind of black pepper if you like. A simple green salad or sliced cucumbers in vinegar on the side balances the creamy noodles, and a hunk of crusty bread or buttered toast is perfect for mopping up the sauce. If you have it on hand, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or a few snipped chives over each bowl makes it feel a little Sunday-special without adding much cost or effort.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Poor Man's Spring CampanelleServings: 4
Ingredients
12 oz dry campanelle pasta
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
4 oz cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, kept frozen
Directions
Scatter the dry campanelle pasta evenly over the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker so it forms a single, mostly even layer. The pasta should look like a bed of little bells across the bottom of the crock.
Pour the chicken broth gently over the dry pasta, pressing down lightly with the back of a spoon so most of the noodles are just submerged. It’s fine if a few tips poke above the liquid; they’ll soften as they cook.
Dot the cubed cream cheese evenly over the top of the pasta and broth. Do not stir; just let the cream cheese sit on top so it melts slowly and doesn’t clump at the bottom.
Sprinkle the frozen peas over everything in an even layer. Again, do not stir. Keeping the layers mostly in place helps the pasta cook more evenly and the peas stay a pretty bright green.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the lid and give everything a good, gentle stir, scraping along the bottom and sides so the melting cream cheese blends into the broth and coats the pasta.
Check the pasta for doneness. If it’s still quite firm and there is a lot of liquid, cover and continue cooking on HIGH for another 20–30 minutes, stirring once more halfway through, until the campanelle is tender but not mushy and the sauce has thickened and clings to the noodles.
Once the pasta is cooked to your liking and the sauce is creamy, turn the slow cooker to WARM. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt if needed, then let the pasta sit uncovered for 5–10 minutes to thicken slightly before serving.
Spoon the creamy campanelle and peas into bowls and serve hot, straight from the crock. If you like, finish each bowl with a little black pepper or a dusting of grated cheese from the pantry.
Variations & Tips
If you’d like a bit more richness, you can stir in an extra ounce or two of cream cheese at the end, or add a splash of milk if the sauce seems too thick. For a vegetarian version, simply use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. If your pantry leans more Italian, a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning or a pinch of garlic powder stirred in when you first mix everything adds a cozy herb note. You can swap the peas for frozen mixed vegetables or frozen broccoli florets for a heartier spring feel; just keep the total amount about the same so the pasta still cooks properly. If you prefer a looser, more brothy pasta, add an extra 1/2 cup of broth at the start; for a tighter, almost casserole-like dish, reduce the broth by 1/2 cup. Leftovers reheat nicely on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce, making this a handy make-ahead lunch for the next day.
