Try This Italian Sausage Crock Pot Recipe To Make Life Easy

This three-ingredient Italian Sausage Crock Pot Recipe was introduced to me by my mother-in-law, and it has become a family favorite. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it’s also a time-saver, allowing you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your evening.

How to Make Lazy Chicken Parmesan

Combine 1-2 pounds of sausage with your favorite tomato sauce – I prefer Classico, but any sauce will do. Place the sausages in the crock pot and pour your chosen tomato sauce over them. Set it on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 6 to 8. Walk away and let the crock pot work its magic.

Pair the savory sausages with your preferred pasta – I opted for spaghetti, a perfect match. It’s an easy, no-fuss dinner that cooks to perfection while you’re out and about.

What To Serve With This Italian Sausage Crock Pot Recipe

Pair this delightful dish with your favorite pasta, like bow tie, farfalle, or rigatoni, and perhaps a refreshing Olive Garden-inspired salad. Elevate your meal by serving it with some garlic bread. You can butter up some bread, add a sprinkle of garlic powder, and Italian seasoning and toast for 5 minutes or use the store bought kind!

Zucchini noodles are also a heath conscious option that taste great!

I also think this would taste good along side any of the options below:

• Roasted Asparagus
• Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash
• Slow Cooker Green Beans and Bacon
• Grandma’s Green Beans

Make it Healthier:

I’m always looking for new ways to add veggies to my dishes. Here are some ideas to add more nutrients to this dish:

• Opt for Italian chicken sausage vs pork. This is lower in fat.
• Add fresh or drained, cooked frozen spinach to the sauce.
• Saute sliced mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, or onions (or any combination of these you choose) and add them to the sauce.
• Either don’t serve the sausage with pasta at all, choose fortified/gluten free pasta, or use zucchini noodles for extra nurtritents!

Make it Kid Friendly:

I always recommend you adjust recipes based on what your family likes. If your kids or even other family members are weary of this dish here are some swap recommendations to get them trying new things without serving a completely different dish:

• Choose a vegetable side that your kids like. It’s great to try new things but if there is one or a few veggie sides you know they enjoy, rotate those best you can to ensure optimal nutrition. 
• Don’t forget the parmesan cheese for sprinkling at the table! This almost always gets my kids more excited about a meal.
• Sometimes, just cutting up a different shaped item into smaller pieces can make kids more familiar with what they are seeing.
• You can serve the sausage separate from the pasta and dress the pasta in their favorite fashion. I know many kids like butter and cheese. Maybe just serve the sauce and a bite of sausage in a little bowl on the side for what I call a “No thank you bite.” This allows kids try new things without the stress of needing the finish the entire item.

Swap Ideas:

• You could use chicken sausage or spicy sausage in this meal as well.
• This recipe is interchangeable with frozen meatballs! So, if you have these instead, give them a chance!
• If your sausage is frozen, make sure to defrost them in the fridge before cooking.
• If you don’t have tomato sauce but you have some canned tomatoes, try this quick recipe for sauce.

Shopping Tips:

• Stock up on your favorite meats when they go on sale and freeze them. In this case, Italian Sausage or Italian Chicken Sausage is what you’re looking for.
• Buy multiple boxes of pasta when you can find it for $1 or less. Pasta lasts a long time in your cabinet and is great to have on hand. 
• Aldi and Walmart are usually the cheapest place to buy pasta sauce. I generally like Classico sauce so I wait for it to go on sale at my local grocery store and stock up. I also watch for coupons for this since it’s a more expensive sauce.

As always, please share your own recommendations on how to make this dish healthier, more kid friendly, swap ideas, and budget shopping tips in the comments!

FOR MORE INEXPENSIVE FAMILY RECIPES CHECK OUT THESE VIDEOS:

• 3 Delicious Pantry Friendly Meals
• 105 Meals for $115 – Feeding My Family For a week
• The Top 10 Secrets to saving big on food!

MORE WEEKNIGHT RECIPES TO TRY:

• Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes
• Cheesy Tortellini Bake(My Kids LOVE THIS!)
• Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas! (These are SO EASY!)

Print

Maria Ronan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Links on this site may include affiliate links to Amazon and its affiliate sites on which the owner of this website will make a referral commission. Thank you for supporting Meals With Maria! My videos and website are for entertainment purposes only. Any information related to food, food safety, cooking, recipes, etc. are my opinions only. Maria Ronan is not liable and/or responsible for any advice, services, or product you obtain through this video and website.