I accidentally made it too well. Now it’s the only thing I’m supposed to bring to the communal meal.
This four-ingredient slow cooker mostaccioli dish is exactly the kind of happy accident every home cook secretly dreams of. I whipped it up on a whim for a winter potluck—using pasta from the pantry, sauce from a jar, and plenty of cheese—and it was so wonderfully creamy and delicious that now it’s the only dish I’m allowed to bring. Mostaccioli, a tubular pasta similar to penne, traditionally used in Italian-American casseroles, soaks up the sauce beautifully and is perfect for slow, gentle cooking. The slow cooker mimics oven cooking, resulting in tender pasta with a golden-brown, melted cheese crust—almost effortlessly.
Serve these Dutch oven-baked mostaccioli directly from the pot on a rustic country table, accompanied by a large green salad with a tangy vinaigrette dressing that balances the richness of the dish. Warm garlic bread or crusty Italian bread is perfect for sopping up the remaining sauce and melted cheese.
For a more substantial meal, combine it with roasted vegetables – broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or carrots – or a simple antipasti platter with olives and marinated peppers. A light red wine like Chianti or a fruity Zinfandel, or even sparkling mineral water with lemon, perfectly complements the savory, cheesy flavor of the dish.
4-ingredient slow cooker baked Mostaccioli
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients
1 pound of uncooked Mostaccioli pasta
48 ounces (approx. 6 cups) of bottled marinara or spaghetti sauce
3 cups grated mozzarella, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Directions
Lightly grease a large oval slow cooker (5 to 7 liters) with non-stick spray or a thin film of oil to prevent sticking and make cleaning easier.
In a large bowl, combine the uncooked mostaccioli with the prepared marinara or spaghetti sauce. Stir well until all the pasta is completely coated in sauce; this even coating ensures that the pasta cooks evenly in the slow cooker.
In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups of shredded mozzarella with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan. This cheese mixture forms the middle layer that melts when the pasta cooks.
Place about a third of the mostaccioli with sauce into the slow cooker and spread evenly. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella-parmesan mixture evenly over the pasta.
Distribute another third of the sauce-covered mostaccioli over the cheese layer, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella-parmesan mixture evenly over it. Finally, add the last third of the sauce-covered mostaccioli and smooth the surface lightly with the back of a spoon.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the pasta to create a generous layer of cheese that will turn golden brown and bubbly.
Close the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, until the pasta is al dente but not mushy. Avoid opening the lid during the first 2 hours if possible, as this will cause heat to escape and slow down the cooking process.
