Easy Crockpot Ground Beef and Pasta
This hearty crockpot ground beef pasta is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it dinner, loaded with cheesy, saucy goodness the whole family will love.
The Easiest Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta You Will Ever Make
Some dinners earn a permanent spot in the weekly rotation, and this crockpot ground beef pasta is absolutely one of them. It is everything you want from a weeknight meal: deeply savory, loaded with melty cheese, endlessly satisfying, and practically effortless. You brown the beef in the morning, toss everything into the slow cooker, and come home to a bubbling pot of comfort that tastes like it took real effort. Spoiler: it did not.
Whether you are hunting for quick meals for dinner with ground beef, trying to figure out what meal you can make with ground beef on a busy Tuesday, or just craving a big bowl of warm, cheesy meat and pasta, this recipe has you covered.
Why This Recipe Works So Well
The slow cooker is genuinely underrated for pasta dishes. Cooking the sauce low and slow allows the beef to turn silky and the tomatoes to break down into something deeply rich. Then, in the final 30 minutes, dry pasta goes straight into that sauce and absorbs all those incredible flavors as it cooks. No separate pot of boiling water. No draining. No fuss.
This is the kind of beef tip pasta approach that turns a humble pound and a half of ground beef into something that tastes like Sunday dinner.
The result is a saucy, cheesy, hearty dish that sits somewhere between a classic meat sauce and a baked pasta casserole. It is cozy, crowd-pleasing, and completely foolproof.
Using the right slow cooker makes a noticeable difference here. A 6-quart model gives you enough room for the sauce to develop properly and for the pasta to cook evenly without crowding. Quality canned tomatoes and a good jarred marinara are also worth the small upgrade.
What You Will Need
This recipe relies on pantry staples you likely already have, which makes it one of the best ground beef meal ideas for low-prep nights.
- Ground beef: An 80/20 blend gives you the best flavor. Leaner beef can make the sauce feel a little flat.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite jarred sauce. This is one of those recipes where a good sauce genuinely shines through.
- Beef broth: This is the liquid that cooks the pasta at the end. Do not skip it or substitute water; the broth adds a savory depth that matters.
- Diced tomatoes: Leave them undrained. That extra liquid keeps things saucy.
- Penne pasta: Sturdy and short, perfect for the slow cooker. Rotini or rigatoni work just as well.
- Mozzarella and parmesan: Because no pasta dish is complete without a cheesy moment at the end.
Chef's Tip: Brown the beef properly before it goes into the crockpot. That golden crust on the meat adds a layer of savory flavor you simply cannot get from raw ground beef sitting in liquid for hours.
Lunch Recipes With Ground Beef? Yes, This Works Too
Most people think of this as a dinner dish, and it absolutely is. But leftovers pack up beautifully for lunch. The pasta absorbs even more of the sauce overnight, turning the next day's portion into something arguably better than it was fresh. Just reheat with a splash of broth to bring it back to life.
If you are building a list of lunch recipes with ground beef that are actually worth eating at your desk, bookmark this one.
Ready to dig in? Here is the complete recipe with every detail you need:
Easy Crockpot Ground Beef and Pasta
This hearty crockpot ground beef pasta is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it dinner, loaded with cheesy, saucy goodness the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef, 80/20 blend, browned and drained
- 24 oz marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups beef broth, low sodium preferred
- 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes, undrained, canned
- 2 cups penne pasta, dry, uncooked
- 1 yellow onion, medium, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional, for heat
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, added at the end
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instruction
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the diced onion for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain excess fat and transfer to the crockpot.
Add the minced garlic, marinara sauce, beef broth, diced tomatoes (with their juices), Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper to the crockpot. Stir everything together to combine.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the flavors have melded and the sauce is bubbling gently.
About 30 minutes before serving, stir the dry penne pasta directly into the crockpot. Make sure the pasta is submerged in the liquid. Re-cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is tender.
Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top. Replace the lid and let it sit for 5 minutes until the cheese is fully melted.
Serve hot, topped with grated parmesan and a scattering of fresh parsley.
Equipment
- 6-quart crockpot or slow cooker
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Colander (for draining beef)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
Notes
Serving Suggestions and Variations
Serve this straight from the crockpot with a big green salad and some crusty garlic bread to scoop up the extra sauce. For a richer twist, stir in a few ounces of cream cheese along with the mozzarella for an ultra-creamy finish.
Want to bulk it up? Add a handful of baby spinach or some sliced mushrooms into the pot in the last hour of cooking. Both disappear into the sauce beautifully and add a little extra nutrition without changing the flavor in any dramatic way.
This is the kind of flexible, forgiving recipe that adapts to whatever you have on hand, which is exactly what good meat and pasta dishes are all about.
