Slow Cooker Pasta Bake 🍝🧀
A comforting, cheesy pasta casserole made easily in the slow cooker. Perfect for busy days and great for feeding a family.
🧾 Ingredients
450 g (1 lb) ground beef or Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar (700 g / 24 oz) pasta sauce or marinara
1 can (400 g / 14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups uncooked penne or rotini pasta
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups beef broth or water
1 tablespoon olive oil
👩🍳 Instructions
Cook the meat:
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef (or sausage) with the chopped onion until browned. Drain excess grease.
Add garlic:
Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Prepare the slow cooker:
Lightly grease the slow cooker with olive oil.
Combine ingredients:
Add the cooked meat mixture to the slow cooker. Stir in pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, uncooked pasta, broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Cook:
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours or HIGH for 1–1½ hours, until the pasta is tender.
Add cheese:
Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. Cover again and cook for another 10–15 minutes until the cheese melts.
Serve:
Stir gently and serve hot.
🌿 Optional Add-Ins
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup spinach or kale
½ cup bell peppers
Red pepper flakes for heat
🍽️ Tips
Stir once halfway through cooking to prevent pasta sticking.
If the pasta absorbs too much liquid, add ½ cup extra broth.
For extra creaminess, mix in ½ cup cream cheese before adding the mozzarella.
Slow Cooker Pasta Bake
