Crockpot Creamy Sage Ham and White Bean Pasta for Meal Prep

When holiday schedules get busy, this slow cooker pasta dish delivers pure comfort with minimal effort. Tender diced ham, creamy white beans, and shell pasta simmer in an aromatic garlic and sage cream broth. It portions effortlessly into meal-prep containers, giving you rich, nourishing weeknight dinners ready to warm up all week long.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham
• 1 (15 oz) can Great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 oz dried medium shell pasta
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach

Instructions

1. In a 5 to 6-quart crockpot, combine the diced ham, white beans, chicken broth, yellow onion, garlic, fresh sage, dried thyme, black pepper, and salt.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or HIGH for 2 hours) until the broth is rich, aromatic, and the ham reaches a food-safe internal temperature of 145 F.
3. Turn the crockpot to HIGH if not already set, then stir in the dried shell pasta, heavy cream, and grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Cover and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is tender.
5. Fold in the fresh baby spinach during the final 5 minutes of cooking until just wilted.
6. Ladle into glass meal-prep containers, let cool slightly, and seal for easy dinners throughout the week.

Tips

• Store portioned containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or milk to restore the velvety sauce texture.
• Rigatoni or penne pasta can easily be substituted for shell pasta.