With a very bad reputation of being a high-carb food, pasta still is a favorite food of mine. I can’t resist the love for this amazing dish and it’s one of my go-to snacks. But I have found many ways to keep it healthy. By regulating the portion size and going for a healthy sauce recipe, pasta can be fulfilling without harm.
So basically, 2 oz. of serving will give you two-hundreds of calorie intake. This includes one gram of fat with seven-gram protein. Also, it contains 43 gram of carbohydrates.
You can simply use the stovetop, microwave or even a crockpot to make Pasta. Today we’ll talk about how to cook plain pasta in a crock pot.
Is It Okay to Use A Crock Pot?
There is a lot of confusion going around about the thing. I don’t understand why that’s happening though. It’s totally fine to cook plain pasta in a crock pot. I do it most of the time to get a well-cooked taste.
You can go with a slow cooker recipe and try it without cooking it on a stove. It’s absolutely okay and the results are really delicious. So, if you don’t have a separate pasta pot, this can be used for a perfect taste.
Step by Step Cooking Process!
Choose your Favorite Pasta
There are quite a lot of types for pasta available that you can try. My favorite is wheat-based pasta. I like the same kind for noodles as well. These are really easy to make and needs less time too. So, I prefer going for these types whenever I am in a hurry.
You can try it if you like the flavor of wheat. Most of the time, wheat-based pasta is ideal to make in a crockpot.
Avoid using egg-based pasta, however. These have the tendency to lose their shape when cooked slowly. So, you will get sticky end results which might not be appetizing to eat. However, you can still cook them with high temperature.
Other types of pasta that you can make in a crockpot is elbow macaroni and rotini. In short, use a heavy pasta stapes and you’ll be good to go.
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Sauce Making (Optional)
We are talking about plain pasta, I know. But I can tell, some readers will want to have an easy sauce recipe along with it to mix the pasta later. So, I am not going to disappoint them.
You can cook your sauce in the crockpot for about six hours. Go for low-heat of course. If you can’t wait and have a rush to finish it off, then use the high settings. Let it cook in the crock pot for at least three hours that way.
It’s not going to taste as fine as the low-temperature version. But for a rush, this will still feel good.
Now, what you can do next is simply keep the sauce aside and mix it later after finishing pasta. Also, you can directly insert the pasta in it and cook. If you choose to go for the second option then let it come near boiling before putting pasta inside.
Making Pasta
Fill the crockpot with two and a half cups of water. You can also add tomato juice instead of water. I like to put some seasoning and herbs with my plain pasta. I like the flavor it creates. You can try it as well, I’m sure it’s going to be delicious.
Use some salt and black pepper. Now insert around four oz. of pasta in it. Let it boil well. After an hour you will figure out that the pasta has become soft and tender. If you are using spaghetti or long pasta, it might need some more time.
Once you think the tenderness is right amount, it’s done! You can simply use a spoon to press over the pasta to check softness.
Serving
Once you follow every step above, turn off the crock pot. You can now enjoy pasta plain or mix it with the sauce I suggested above. Spoon it down into a plate and put some herbs to serve instantly.
Tips
You can go for ten minutes of high settings in a crock pot if you want to be quick.
For wheat-based pasta you are going to need more time. So, make sure to add ten minutes extra then the egg-based pasta preparation time.
Don’t stir too often. You should avoid doing this because it can break the pasta and make it sticky.
For the perfect pasta use a cover until it’s time to serve.
Verdict!
See? How easy it is to make pasta in a crockpot. I’m sure now you can do it without any problem. But be prepared to get bored if you don’t like waiting. Crock pots need quite time to make pasta. But the results are really appetizing. Enjoy!
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