Crock Pot Million Dollar Pasta (Slow Cooker)
Description
Creamy, cheesy crock pot million dollar pasta with ground beef, marinara, uncooked penne, and a ricotta-cream cheese layer. No boiling required.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 48 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 cups water, or low-sodium beef broth
- 16 ounces spaghetti, rigatoni, or cavatappi (about 4 cups), uncooked
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, divided, grated
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 8 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute. Drain, then stir in 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- In a bowl, mix cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream, ¼ cup Parmesan, and the remaining Italian seasoning until smooth.
- Spray a 6-quart crock pot with nonstick spray.
- Spread ½ jar marinara in the bottom. Layer half the pasta, the rest of the first jar of sauce, 1 cup water or broth, and half the beef.
- Dollop the cheese mixture over the beef and spread gently. Do not stir.
- Layer the remaining pasta, the second jar of marinara, the remaining 1 cup liquid, and the rest of the beef. Press down so the pasta is submerged.
- Cover and cook on LOW 2½ to 3 hours or HIGH 1½ to 2 hours, until the pasta is tender. Start checking at 2 hours on LOW.
- Stir gently. Top with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes until melted.
- Let rest uncovered 10 minutes. Garnish and serve.
Equipment
- 6-quart crock pot or slow cooker
- Large skillet
- Medium mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula or large spoon
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Nonstick Cooking Spray
Notes
- For million dollar spaghetti: Use 12 ounces spaghetti broken in half and start checking at 1 hour 45 minutes on LOW.
- Smaller crock pot: Halve the recipe for a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 664kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 42gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 1410mgPotassium: 1065mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1592IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 379mgIron: 5mg