Tasty slow cooker pastitsio – so easy to make and perfect for the family to enjoy. This Greek-inspired dish with lamb in a spiced sauce and pasta topped with béchamel sauce is full of flavour.
If you read my blog regularly you’ll know I’m always on the lookout for tasty meals to make for my family in the slow cooker. It’s the convenience of being able to do the cooking preparation earlier in the day so you don’t have to do it after a long day when everyone is tired and hungry.
Slow cooker lasagne remains one of our favourite recipes as it is so simple to make and you can include lots of vegetables to make it healthier and to make the meat go further. This dish uses some of the elements of lasagne so it’s a great option for families as it will be a familiar dish.
This delicious slow cooker pastitsio combines lamb mince and red pepper in a tomato sauce spiced with a touch of cinnamon with those perennial favourites pasta tubes, béchamel sauce and grated cheese.
Quick to prepare and then leave to cook in the slow cooker, you’ll definitely want seconds.
This makes a deep layered dish which can easily serve 6 people. Made in a 5.7 litre slow cooker.
What is pastitsio?
Pastitsio is a typical Greek dish similar to lasagne with layers of minced (ground) meat in a sauce spiced with cinnamon or nutmeg, tube pasta and béchamel sauce. It often uses lamb but can also be made with beef too.
There are variations on pastitsio which are made in Greece, Cyprus. Egypt and Malta, all with regional differences such as the kind of meat and cheese used but the overall idea is the same. This recipe is in the Greek style.
It is bound to be far from authentic as I am not Greek but this is my take on the dish, adapted to be made in the slow cooker!
Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need the following:
- olive oil
- lamb mince/ground lamb – I used 10% fat but the normal 20% fat mince can also be used (if so make sure you drain the mince after frying it off)
- onions
- red pepper
- cinnamon, oregano
- chopped tomatoes (tinned)
- tomato puree
- garlic puree – you could also use fresh garlic instead
- pasta tubes – I used rigatoni but you could also use macaroni
- plain flour
- butter
- milk – I used semi-skimmed but full-fat milk is also fine
- grated cheese – I used mature cheddar
Step by step instructions
Step 1. Fry the lamb mince in the oil in a pan or wok, then add the chopped onion, red pepper, tinned tomatoes, cinnamon, oregano, garlic puree, tomato puree and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
Note that you don’t need to cook the sauce at this point, just make it up in the pan after browning the lamb mince. It will cook in the slow cooker. Place half the meat sauce in the slow cooker.
This meat layer ensures the first layer of pasta will cook through in the sauce. If the pasta was directly in the bottom of the slow cooker it would stick and probably stay hard.
Step 2. Top the meat sauce with half the pasta tubes – I used rigatoni here.
Step 3. Add the rest of the meat sauce on top of the pasta.
Step 4. Add the rest of the pasta on top of the meat sauce.
Step 5. Make the béchamel sauce in a small saucepan (melt the butter, add the flour, cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the milk little by little, whisking very well) and bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes until very thick. Add the ground nutmeg and salt and pepper to season the sauce.
Step 6. Pour the béchamel sauce over the pasta, ensuring it is all covered evenly.
Step 7. Top with grated cheese.
Step 8. Cook for four hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.
Step 9. Slice with a serrated knife through all the layers, and use a large spatula to remove portions from the slow cooker pot. Serve with green vegetables on the side.
Tip: To get cleaner slices to come out of the slow cooker pot, allow the pastitsio to stand for at least half an hour before serving if you can. Then it won’t fall apart quite as much as it can do.
More to try
If you are looking for slow cooker recipes that are perfect for families with children, make sure you check out my guide to family slow cooker recipes that kids love which has 20 brilliant recipes to shake up your meal plan.
Other lamb-based dishes you might want to try if you love lamb are slow cooker moussaka and slow cooker lamb casserole.
Pin for later
Recipe
Slow Cooker Pastitsio
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 500 g lamb mince / ground lamb I used 10 % fat
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic puree
- salt and pepper to season
- 250 g pasta tubes I used rigatoni
For the béchamel sauce:
- 30 g butter
- 30 g plain flour
- 350 ml semi-skimmed milk
- 70 g mature cheddar grated
- 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
- salt and pepper to season
Equipment
Video
Instructions
- Fry the lamb mince in the olive oil in a pan or wok.
- Once browned, remove from the heat and add the onion, red pepper, tin of tomatoes, tomato puree, cinnamon, oregano and garlic puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place half the meat sauce in the base of the slow cooker pot.
- Add half the rigatoni in a layer on top of the meat sauce.
- Put the rest of the meat sauce on top.
- Add the rest of the rigatoni on top of the second layer of lamb sauce.
- Make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour, cook the roux for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk little by little, whisking well after each addition. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until thick.
- Season the béchamel sauce with salt and pepper and add the nutmeg.
- Pour the white sauce over the pasta and meat sauce layers in the slow cooker pot, ensuring all the pasta is covered.
- Top with the grated cheese.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours.
- If you have time, leave the dish to stand in the slow cooker for 30 minutes before serving so that it stays together better.
- Serve by slicing through all the layers with a serrated knife then using a large spatula to serve out portions.
Jade says
This is an amazing recipe. It has fed me and my family many times and is always a favourite. I supplement the lamb mince with baby leaf spinach for a vegetarian option and it is delicious. Slow-cooking makes my life easier and more economical. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Jade
@jadebby_24 INSTA
bakingqueen74 says
So glad to hear this Jade!
Ceri Jones says
My sister’s mother in law is from Cyprus and make a cracking Pastitsio, love it and how fab this can be made in a slow cooker!
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
I didn’t know you could cook pasta in the slow cooker! I’ll definitely have to give this a go! Love all the cheesy goodness.
Jere Cassidy says
I’ve been wanting to get more into Greek cooking so thanks for an awesome recipe. Can’t wait to try it out.
Kavita Favelle says
I love your skill in adapting classic recipes to make them in a slow cooker, so convenient for every day eating. And love the look of this pastito, all the flavours I love!
Aimee says
Wow, this looks so good! I love Greek food. Might try a meat-free version 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
I bet layers of veggies would be delicious too!
Sisley White says
I am so rubbish with my slow cooker but seeing how incredible your dishes are really makes me want to get it out and use it so much more.
Nickki says
This looks so comforting and warming! Anything with bechamel sauce is a winner with me.
Emma says
Definitely going to have a go at making this (though will be swapping the meat mince for veggie mince for the OH!). It looks delicious!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Emma! Yes am sure it would work well with Quorn or similar
Too!
Julia Frey says
This looks like such a great alternative to a lasagne, which my family loves! Even better when made in a slow cooker!
bakingqueen74 says
Yes I think all families love lasagne don’t they!
Heidy says
Hello, your crockpot pasta is a very different twist on the Greek version I grew up with, but you know what? I would totally dig in and be happy to do so!!!
bakingqueen74 says
Wonderful Heidy! Thanks for stopping by
Adrianne says
Yum, I love that this can be done in the slow cooker as it makes the cooking time so much easier and enjoyable. Lots of yummy pictures too, thanks! Melted cheese on top – YUMMO!
bakingqueen74 says
thanks Adrianne!
Veena Azmanov says
This dish looks so tasty and delicious. A combination of Lamb mince/Sauces/Pasta and cheese already makes me drooling..
bakingqueen74 says
So glad to hear it Veena
Chef Markus Mueller says
Looks delicious! Something other then the go to slow cooker stew! It will make a welcome addition to my weekly meal rotation.
bakingqueen74 says
Excellent Markus!
Vicky says
I’ve never tried this Greek version of lasagna, but after reading this post I’m very excited to. I use my slow cooker all the time, and it makes dinner prep so easy. We don’t have lamb a lot, so I’m excited to add that to the menu.
bakingqueen74 says
Brilliant Vicky! Making dinner prep easy is kind of my mantra
Tara says
Love that this is made in the slow cooker — delicious!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Tara!