Description
A comforting and creamy crockpot ground beef pasta dish featuring tender beef, perfectly cooked pasta, and a rich, cheesy sauce, made easy with slow cooking for deep, savory flavors enhanced by Italian seasonings and fresh spinach.
Ingredients
Scale
Ground Beef Mixture
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 for moisture and flavor)
- 1/2 cup onion, finely diced (1/4-inch pieces)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp oil
Liquid and Seasonings
- 4 cups beef broth (Swanson recommended)
- 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
Pasta and Dairy
- 8 oz pasta (penne or rotini preferred)
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (room temperature, about 70°F)
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach
Instructions
- Brown the Ground Beef: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and most pink is gone, about 3-5 minutes. Add diced onion and minced garlic, stirring constantly for another minute until fragrant.
- Transfer and Season: Carefully drain excess grease, leaving a little for flavor. Transfer the beef mixture to a slow cooker. Add beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Slow Cook the Beef Mixture: Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 4-6 hours until beef is tender and broth richly seasoned.
- Add Pasta and Cream: Set slow cooker to HIGH. Stir in uncooked pasta, breaking it up slightly to submerge in liquid. Slowly pour in room-temperature heavy cream while stirring to prevent curdling. Add grated parmesan cheese and stir until thoroughly combined. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and sauce thickened.
- Finish with Spinach: Stir fresh spinach into the hot pasta mixture just before serving. Allow to wilt for 1-2 minutes using residual heat. Give the pot a final stir, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve immediately while creamy and hot.
Notes
- Using 80/20 ground beef provides the best flavor and moisture balance for slow cooking.
- Room-temperature heavy cream prevents curdling when added to hot liquids.
- Penne or rotini pasta shapes work best for even cooking in the crockpot.
- Stir occasionally during the final cooking to prevent pasta sticking.
- Adjust seasoning at the end based on taste preferences.
- Slow cooking on low yields deeper flavor but requires longer cooking time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2-6 hours
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: crockpot ground beef pasta, slow cooker pasta dinner, creamy beef pasta, easy crockpot meals, one pot pasta, comfort food, Italian seasoning pasta
