Comforting Crockpot Ground Beef Pasta Recipe
This Comforting Crockpot Ground Beef Pasta is a delicious, creamy, and easy-to-make one-pot meal perfect for family dinners. Featuring tender ground beef, rich heavy cream, parmesan, and pasta cooked together in a slow cooker, it offers savory, creamy flavors and a nutritious boost from fresh spinach. The recipe is designed for minimal cleanup and effortless preparation, making it an ideal comfort food that truly cooks itself.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Beef Base:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 for better flavor and moisture)
- 1/2 cup onion, finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp oil
For the Sauce and Pasta:
- 8 oz pasta (penne or rotini recommended)
- 4 cups beef broth (Swanson recommended)
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (room temperature, about 70°F to prevent curdling)
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Brown the Ground Beef and Aromatics: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until browned and most of the pink is gone, about 3-5 minutes. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, stirring constantly for another minute until fragrant. The 80/20 ground beef helps keep the meat moist and flavorful during the slow cooking process.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker and Build the Broth Base: Carefully pour off any excess grease from the skillet, leaving just enough for flavor. Transfer the browned beef mixture to your slow cooker. Add beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine all seasonings evenly throughout the liquid, creating a rich and savory base.
- Slow Cook the Beef Base: Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 4-6 hours depending on your schedule. This slow cooking tenderizes the beef and deepens the flavor of the broth base.
- Add Pasta, Cream, and Cheese for Final Cook: Switch the slow cooker to HIGH setting. Stir in the uncooked pasta, breaking it up slightly to submerge in the liquid as much as possible. Slowly pour in room-temperature heavy cream while stirring to prevent curdling. Add the grated parmesan and stir thoroughly to combine. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the sauce is creamy and thickened.
- Finish with Spinach and Serve: Stir fresh spinach into the hot pasta mixture just before serving. The residual heat will wilt the spinach within 1-2 minutes. Give the dish a final stir and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately while creamy and hot.
Notes
- Using 80/20 ground beef ensures a juicy and flavorful dish; leaner beef may dry out during slow cooking.
- Do not add pasta at the beginning to avoid mushy texture; add it only during the final 45 minutes.
- Drain excess grease thoroughly after browning the beef to prevent an oily final dish.
- Add heavy cream and parmesan cheese at the end of cooking to prevent sauce separation.
- Avoid lifting the slow cooker lid frequently to prevent heat loss and extended cooking time.
- Substitutions: ground turkey or chicken for beef, short pasta varieties like shells or rotini, half-and-half for heavy cream, and chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat with added broth or cream to restore creaminess.
- Freeze up to 2 months; sauce may separate upon thawing but can be recombined with stirring during reheating.
Keywords: crockpot ground beef pasta, slow cooker pasta, creamy beef pasta, one-pot dinner, comfort food, easy family meal
