Description
A creamy, savory slow cooker pasta dish that combines ground beef, garlic, and cheese with minimal effort. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality comfort food in under 15 minutes of prep time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 12 oz short pasta (penne, rotini, or rigatoni)
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme)
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 0.5 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- In the slow cooker, combine ground beef, diced onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, dried Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Pour in the beef broth and stir to combine.
- Add the dry pasta to the slow cooker and stir gently to ensure all pieces are submerged in the liquid.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. Do not cook on HIGH.
- About 30 minutes before serving, check the pasta for tenderness. If needed, cook for another 15-20 minutes. Stir well.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream (if using) until melted and creamy.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil or extra Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not cook on HIGH heat as the pasta will become mushy. Ensure there is enough liquid to cover the pasta completely. For best texture, grate Parmesan cheese fresh rather than using pre-shredded. If using frozen ground beef, thaw it first to prevent excess water. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: slow cooker, garlic beef pasta, easy dinner, weeknight meal, comfort food, creamy pasta, ground beef recipe, family dinner