Description
Slow Cooker Million Dollar Pasta is a creamy, cheesy, and hearty one-pot meal made with ground beef, cream cheese, ricotta, and marinara sauce cooked slowly with bowtie pasta for a rich and comforting dinner perfect for busy days.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Dairy
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Seasonings and Sauces
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 (24 oz) jars marinara sauce, divided
Other
- 1 (24 oz) jar filled with water
- 1 (16 oz) box bowtie pasta (uncooked)
Instructions
- Cook the Ground Beef: Place the lean ground beef in a large skillet and season with salt and pepper. Crumble and cook over medium heat until fully browned and no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease and set the beef aside.
- Prepare Cream Mixture: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly until smooth and creamy. Set this mixture aside.
- Layer Sauce and Pasta: Pour half of one jar of marinara sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread it evenly to the edges. Sprinkle half of the uncooked bowtie pasta over the sauce layer, then pour the remaining half jar of marinara sauce over the pasta.
- Add Water to Slow Cooker: Fill the now empty marinara sauce jar with water and pour half of this water evenly over the sauce and pasta layers in the slow cooker.
- Layer Beef and Cream Mixture: Sprinkle half of the cooked ground beef over the pasta and sauce layers. Then spoon all of the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of the beef layer.
- Layer Remaining Pasta and Sauce: Add the remaining pasta over the cream mixture, then pour the second full jar of marinara sauce over the pasta.
- Add Final Water and Beef Layers: Gently pour the remaining half jar of water over the contents of the slow cooker. Finish with the remaining half of the cooked ground beef spread evenly on top.
- Cook the Pasta: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low heat for 2 hours and 30 minutes. After this time, test the pasta for doneness and if not fully cooked, continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
- Add Cheese and Melt: Once the pasta is fully cooked, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Cover the slow cooker again and cook on low until the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes.
- Serve: Using a large spoon or ladle, scoop the layered pasta mixture from the slow cooker making sure to get portions of each layer in every serving. Serve hot and enjoy your creamy Million Dollar Pasta.
Notes
- Make sure to use lean ground beef to reduce excess grease.
- Using softened cream cheese helps in mixing it smoothly with the sour cream and ricotta.
- If marinara sauce is very thick, add a little more water to ensure the pasta cooks correctly in the slow cooker.
- Bowtie pasta works best for this recipe, but other short pastas like penne or rotini can be substituted.
- You can add extra Italian seasoning or fresh herbs for additional flavor.
- Check the pasta toward the end to avoid overcooking and mushy texture.
- This dish can easily be doubled for larger families or gatherings with a larger slow cooker.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
