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Slow Cooker Million Dollar Pasta Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 118 reviews

This Slow Cooker Million Dollar Pasta is a creamy, cheesy, and comforting one-pot meal that layers ground beef, a rich cream cheese mixture, marinara sauce, and bowtie pasta for a hearty dinner. Cooked low and slow in your crockpot, this recipe delivers a delicious, fuss-free pasta dish with melted mozzarella on top that’s perfect for busy weeknights or family gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat

  • 2 lbs lean ground beef

Dairy

  • 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Spices

  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Pantry

  • 2 (24 oz) jars marinara sauce, divided
  • 1 (24 oz) jar water (use the empty marinara jar to measure)
  • 1 (16 oz) box bowtie pasta, uncooked

Instructions

  1. Brown the Beef: Place ground beef in a large skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat until fully browned and no longer pink. Crumble the beef as it cooks. Drain excess grease and set beef aside.
  2. Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix until smooth and well incorporated. Set aside.
  3. Layer Sauce in Slow Cooker: Pour half a jar of marinara sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread evenly to the edges.
  4. Add First Layer of Pasta & Sauce: Sprinkle half of the uncooked bowtie pasta evenly over the sauce, then pour the remaining half jar of marinara sauce on top of the pasta layer.
  5. Add Water: Fill the empty marinara jar with water and pour half of this water evenly over the pasta and sauce layer to help cook the pasta evenly.
  6. Add Beef and Cream Mixture: Sprinkle half of the cooked ground beef evenly over the pasta layer, then spoon the entire cream cheese mixture evenly on top of the beef.
  7. Add Remaining Pasta and Sauce: Layer the remaining pasta over the cream cheese mixture, then pour the second jar of marinara sauce evenly on top.
  8. Add Remaining Water and Beef: Gently pour the remaining half jar of water over the top layer to ensure the pasta cooks evenly. Finish by sprinkling the remaining ground beef over the top.
  9. Cook in Slow Cooker: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Check if pasta is tender; if not, continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
  10. Add Cheese and Melt: Once pasta is cooked through, sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Cover and cook on low for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melts completely.
  11. Serve: Scoop portions from the slow cooker, making sure to include all layers for a balanced serving. Serve warm and enjoy your creamy, cheesy Million Dollar Pasta.

Notes

  • Use lean ground beef to reduce excess grease and prevent a greasy final dish.
  • You can swap bowtie pasta with other short pasta shapes like penne or rotini if preferred.
  • If you want a spicier dish, add red pepper flakes with the Italian seasoning.
  • Make sure not to overfill your slow cooker to ensure even cooking.
  • Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or oven and stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.

Keywords: slow cooker pasta, million dollar pasta, crockpot pasta recipe, creamy pasta, beef pasta, one pot pasta dinner

Find it online: https://reemcook.com/slow-cooker-million-dollar-pasta-recipe/