Crockpot Million Dollar Pasta
Crockpot Million Dollar Pasta has layers of sauce, pasta, beef and a delicious cream sauce all topped with melty, gooey mozzarella cheese!
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley.
- 2 (24 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce, divided use
- 24 ounce jar water
- 16 ounce box cavatappi pasta
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
1. Brown and crumble ground beef (season with salt and pepper.) Drain excess grease and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese, minced garlic and parsley.
3. In the bottom of a 6 quart (or larger) oval slow cooker, add half a jar of spaghetti sauce.
4. Evenly layer half the box of the cavatappi pasta on top of sauce.
5. Pour remaining jar of spaghetti sauce over noodles.
6. Pour on half a jar of water.
7. Then layer half the cooked ground beef mixture over top.
8. Dollop the entire cream cheese mixture evenly as possible over the beef layer. Do not stir.
9. Evenly layer the rest of the cavatappi pasta on top of the cream cheese layer
10. Top evenly with remaining jar of spaghetti sauce
11. Pour another half jar of water on top of spaghetti sauce.
12. Finally, layer the rest of the cooked ground beef on top.
13. Cover and cook on low for about 2-3 hours. Note: Many slow cookers cook differently and some run very hot & some not so hot so check at two hours and go from there. It took just about 3 hours in mine.
14. Stir mixture and make sure pasta is fully cooked. If not, cover and allow to cook for another hour. Then evenly layer the top with 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese.
15. Cover for a few additional minutes (until cheese is melted.) Sprinkle with a little dried parsley for color (optional).
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If you're looking for a comforting, hands-off dinner, Crockpot Million Dollar Pasta is an excellent choice that combines rich flavors with minimal effort. This recipe uses a slow cooker to meld savory ground beef, creamy cheese mixtures, tangy spaghetti sauce, and perfectly cooked cavatappi pasta for a dish that tastes indulgent but is simple to prepare. One tip for success is to soften the cream cheese to room temperature before mixing it with sour cream, ricotta, garlic, and parsley. This ensures the sauce layers smoothly and evenly, avoiding lumps in the final dish. Similarly, browning and draining the ground beef properly prevents excess grease from making the pasta watery. Different slow cookers vary in temperature, so it's wise to check your dish around 2 hours into cooking. Your goal is tender pasta that is fully cooked but not mushy. Stirring after the initial cook helps blend ingredients and lets you monitor doneness; if needed, add an extra hour to achieve perfect tenderness. Using cavatappi pasta is an inspired choice because the pasta's spiral shape holds onto sauce beautifully, making each bite flavorful. If unavailable, other tubular pasta like rotini or penne work well as substitutes. Finally, topping the dish with shredded mozzarella and letting it melt before serving adds a luscious, cheesy finish that's sure to please family and friends. Adding a touch of dried parsley provides a fresh color contrast and a subtle herbal note. This recipe is versatile to customize by adding veggies like mushrooms or bell peppers for more texture, or swapping the ground beef for ground turkey for a leaner option. Overall, this Crockpot Million Dollar Pasta recipe offers a foolproof way to create a decadent pasta casserole with layers of sauce and cheese baked together in one pot. It's ideal for busy days or feeding a crowd while keeping the preparation stress-free. Enjoy this crowd-pleasing, cheesy slow cooker pasta variation that tastes like a million bucks!
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