When you have a busy, active family crockpot meals are a life saver! I love having a number of delicious crockpot meals already prepared and frozen in my freezer.

They save me a ton of time and energy worry about what to feed the family every day. This Sausage and Pesto Pasta crockpot recipe is a family favorite and one that is a hit with the kids!

I usually batch out at least six freezer meals at a time. Spending one morning each week preparing dinners for the month allows me to save not only time but also money.

I can plan out my weekly meals and not rely on last minute take out as much. I use this printable weekly meal planner and grocery list all the time. Grab your own copy…

[wide-button]Free PDF Weekly Meal Planner[/wide-button]

Tips for making Crockpot Freezer Meals:

Use 1 gallon, large freezer bags. Label bags with the date, recipe and cooking instructions
Lay ingredients flat in the bag for easier storage in the freezer.
Defrost meals in the refrigerator or place frozen into the crockpot. If the meal is defrosted, reduce the cooking time accordingly (subtract two hours for most crockpot meals).
Crockpot meals can easily be converted to Instant Pot recipes using this handy guide from Taste of Home – How to Convert Slow Cooker Recipes for the Instant Pot.
Store meals for up to three months in the freezer.

Sausage & Pesto Pasta Recipe

Name: Sausage & Pesto Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 lb ground sausage, cooked; 10 oz container of pesto; 1 Tbsp minced garlic; 1 medium onion, diced; 2 stalks celery, diced; 1 carrot, diced; 2 cups fresh spinach; 14 oz can diced tomatoes {optional}; 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 16 oz pkg rigatoni, cooked

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb ground sausage, cooked
10 oz container of pesto
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cups fresh spinach
14 oz can diced tomatoes {optional}
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
16 oz pkg rigatoni, cooked

Instructions

Place first nine ingredients into the crockpot.
Cook on low for 4 hours.
Serve over cooked pasta.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 736Total Fat: 54gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 1185mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 27g

All values are approximate and based on ingredients used by the recipe writer. Always calculate your own individual nutritional values for the most accurate calculation.

I can’t wait to make this Sausage & Pesto Pasta crockpot recipe again! If you’re a fan of pesto then you should totally check out this Chicken Pesto Crockpot Recipe too…