Million Dollar Pasta
A creamy and hearty slow cooker pasta dish layered with marinara, ground beef, and cheeses, perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
For the beef and sauce layers
- 2 lbs lean ground beef Can substitute with ground turkey for lower saturated fat.
- 2 24 oz jars marinara sauce, divided
For the cheese mixture
- 1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened Soften fully to avoid lumps.
- ½ cup sour cream Use reduced-fat version to lighten up.
- 1 cup ricotta cheese Part-skim ricotta can be used.
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
For layering
- 1 16 oz box bowtie pasta (uncooked) Gluten-free pasta works but may need different cooking time.
- 1 24 oz jar water Use one of your empty sauce jars to measure.
- 2½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preparation
- Season ground beef with salt and pepper. Crumble into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain well and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until smooth. Set aside.
Layering and Cooking
- Spoon half a jar of marinara sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread to the edges.
- Scatter half of the uncooked bowtie pasta evenly over the sauce. Pour the remaining half jar of marinara over the pasta.
- Fill the empty sauce jar with water. Pour half that water evenly over the pasta and sauce layer.
- Sprinkle half of the cooked ground beef evenly on top of the water-sauced pasta. Dollop and spread the entire cream cheese mixture over the beef layer.
- Add the remaining pasta in an even layer. Pour the second full jar of marinara sauce over the top pasta layer.
- Gently pour the remaining half jar of water over the top, then top with the remaining ground beef.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours 30 minutes. Test a piece of pasta for doneness, and if still firm, cook an additional 30 minutes.
- When the pasta is tender, sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the surface. Cover and cook on LOW for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Scoop servings that include all layers so each portion has pasta, beef, sauce, and the creamy middle. Serve warm.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days. This dish freezes well; portion into freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Always reheat to at least 165°F before consuming.