38 Italian-Inspired Recipes to Make in Your Slow Cooker

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38 Italian-Inspired Recipes to Make in Your Slow Cooker1/38 Slow-Cooked Italian Chicken 14 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Slow-Cooked Italian Chicken Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 4 hours 20 min Servings 4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: With its nicely seasoned tomato sauce, this enticing chicken entree is especially good over pasta or rice. My father loved it when I made this. —Deanna D’Auria, Banning, California Nutrition Facts: 1 serving: 231 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 63mg cholesterol, 818mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 3g fiber), 28g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1

starch, 1 vegetable

starch, 1 vegetable. 2/38 Four-Cheese Chicken Fettuccine 31 Reviews Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Four-Cheese Chicken Fettuccine Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 50 min Servings 8 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: As a cattle rancher, my husband’s a big fan of beef. For him to comment on a poultry dish is rare. But he always tells me, “I love this casserole!” I first tasted it at a potluck; now, I fix it for my family (we have a 3-year-old daughter) once or twice a month, and I’m asked to take it to most every

get-together

get-together. —Rochelle Brownlee, Big Timber, Montana Nutrition Facts: 1 serving: 641 calories, 47g fat (27g saturated fat), 167mg cholesterol, 895mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 28g protein. 3/38 Slow-Cooker Minestrone 6 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 6 hours 50 min Servings 12 servings (4 quarts) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: There’s nothing quite like the comfort of warm homemade soup, and it’s even better when your slow cooker does most of the work for you! This slow-cooker minestrone is easy to put together but has all the flavor of a high-effort dish. —Erin Raatjes, New

I make this during football season too

Lenox, Illinois (Sop up this soup with a piece of one of these types of Italian bread.) Nutrition Facts: 1-1/3 cups: 165 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 813mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 6g fiber), 7g protein. 4/38 Slow-Cooker Chicken Parmesan 22 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 4 hours 25 min Servings 4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I love making this satisfying dish—it’s easy and elegant, and the slow cooker minimizes my time in the kitchen. I make this during football season too. For game days, I skip the pasta and serve

It’s also good cut in half and served on smaller buns as sliders

the chicken on submarine rolls with a bit of the sauce and some chopped lettuce. It’s also good cut in half and served on smaller buns as sliders. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin Nutrition Facts: 1 serving: 480 calories, 17g fat (7g saturated fat), 171mg cholesterol, 1684mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 5g fiber), 50g protein. 5/38 Slow-Cooker Pizza 36 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 2 hours 20 min Servings 8 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Always a hit at our church dinners, this hearty casserole keeps folks coming back for more. —Julie Sterchi,

It was an instant hit, and I’ve continued to take it along to other gatherings

Jackson, Missouri Nutrition Facts: 1-1/2 cups: 780 calories, 41g fat (21g saturated fat), 192mg cholesterol, 1262mg sodium, 53g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 4g fiber), 49g protein. 6/38 Slow-Cooker Pizza Dip 5 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Slow-Cooker Pizza Dip Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 2 hours 15 min Servings 20 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I created this dip for my daughter’s pizza-themed birthday party. It was an instant hit, and I’ve continued to take it along to other gatherings. Everyone loves it! —Stephanie Gates, Waterloo, Iowa Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup dip: 68 calories, 4g fat

8/38 Crockpot Pasta e

(1g saturated fat), 14mg cholesterol, 198mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein. 7/38 Italian Stuffed Peppers 9 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 4 hours 25 min Servings 6 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Cooking the stuffed peppers in a slow cooker is not only convenient, the long cooking process improves the flavor of the filling. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Nutrition Facts: 1 stuffed pepper: 470 calories, 17g fat (9g saturated fat), 67mg cholesterol, 1033mg sodium, 45g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 6g fiber), 35g protein. 8/38 Crockpot Pasta e

This chunky soup is good to the last spoonful

Fagioli 40 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Slow-Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Recipe photo by Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home Total Time 8 hours Servings 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This chunky soup is good to the last spoonful. It’s my go-to recipe because it’s so hearty and we all always want more. —Penny Novy, Buffalo Grove, Illinois Nutrition Facts: 1-1/4 cups: 258 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 38mg cholesterol, 885mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 6g fiber), 17g protein. 9/38 Italian Sausage Sloppy Joes Test Kitchen Approved Italian Sausage Sloppy Joes Recipe photo

The mozzarella and tomato sauce are classic, and red peppers make it fun

by Taste of Home Total Time 4 hours 20 min Servings 8 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: My grandma absolutely loves Italian food, so I decided to make a twist on classic sloppy joe sandwiches just for her. The mozzarella and tomato sauce are classic, and red peppers make it fun. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York Nutrition Facts: 1 sandwich: 661 calories, 35g fat (14g saturated fat), 121mg cholesterol, 1231mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 3g fiber), 42g protein. 10/38 Slow-Cooker Short Rib Ragu over Pappardelle 13 Reviews Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home

Short ribs are my crowd-pleaser weekend meal for all occasions

Total Time 7 hours 30 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: An irresistible sauce gives the beef in this short rib ragu another dimension of flavor. Nearly any starchy side, such as potatoes or polenta, will work in place of the pasta. Short ribs are my crowd-pleaser weekend meal for all occasions. —Missy Raho, Morristown, New Jersey Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup ragu over 3/4 cup pasta: 302 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 328mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 4g fiber), 18g protein. 11/38 Italian Shredded Pork Stew 11 Reviews Italian Shredded Pork

12/38 Spicy Sausage Meatball Sauce 1 Review

Stew Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 8 hours 20 min Servings 9 servings (about 3-1/2 quarts) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Need a warm meal for a chilly night? Throw together this slow-cooked stew that’s brightened with fresh sweet potatoes, kale and Italian seasoning. The shredded pork is so tender, you’re going to want to make this dish all season long. —Robin Jungers, Campbellsport, Wisconsin Nutrition Facts: 1-1/2 cups: 283 calories, 13g fat (5g saturated fat), 78mg cholesterol, 860mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 24g protein. 12/38 Spicy Sausage Meatball Sauce 1 Review

Test Kitchen Approved Spicy Sausage Meatball Sauce Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 5 hours 40 min Servings 12 servings (3-3/4 quarts) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I threw together spicy sausage and three of our favorite veggies for this incredible sauce that makes our mouths water the whole time it’s cooking. Besides serving this with pasta (refrigerated tortellini is best), we’ve had it with brown basmati rice, on toasted Italian rolls to make sloppy subs and as a stew with garlic bread. —Ann Sheehy, Londonderry, New Hampshire Nutrition Facts: 1-1/4 cups meatball sauce: 343 calories,

This recipe is the final result, and I don’t mind saying it’s a huge success! —

23g fat (7g saturated fat), 51mg cholesterol, 984mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 5g fiber), 15g protein. 13/38 Slow Cooker Two-Meat Manicotti 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 4 hours 45 min Servings 7 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I wanted to create my ideal version of a stuffed manicotti, which requires a fantastic filling and a meat sauce to die for. This recipe is the final result, and I don’t mind saying it’s a huge success! —Shalimar Wiech, Glassport, Pennsylvania Nutrition Facts: 2 manicotti: 657 calories, 33g fat (14g saturated fat), 155mg

Tender chunks of pork slowly cook in a nicely seasoned, wine-infused sauce

cholesterol, 1609mg sodium, 55g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 7g fiber), 39g protein. 14/38 Tuscan Pork Stew 20 Reviews Taste of Home Total Time 8 hours 45 min Servings 8 servings (2 quarts) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Tender chunks of pork slowly cook in a nicely seasoned, wine-infused sauce. Add some crushed red pepper flakes to this pork stew for a little extra kick.—Penny Hawkins, Mebane, North Carolina Nutrition Facts: 1 cup: 235 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 42mg cholesterol, 548mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 2g fiber), 19g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1

vegetable, 0.500 fat

vegetable, 0.500 fat. 15/38 Slow-Cooker Polenta 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Slow-Cooker Polenta Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 6 hours 10 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This Italian classic is so simple to make, you can now make it any night of the week. —Elisabeth Matelski, Boston, Massachusetts Nutrition Facts: 1 cup: 255 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 1168mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 9g protein. 16/38 Slow-Simmered Meat Ragu 6 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 6 hours 30 min Servings 10

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