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Cheesy. Creamy. Hearty. The kind of “set it and forget it” dinner that tastes like a million bucks — but costs next to nothing and feeds the whole neighborhood.
Let me paint a picture.
It’s 4:30 PM. You’re tired. Everyone’s asking “what’s for dinner?” and you’re this close to pouring cereal in bowls and calling it a day. But then you remember… oh yeah, you’ve got Million Dollar Pasta cookin’ away in the slow cooker like a dinnertime miracle.
And when you lift that lid? Whew. That creamy, garlicky, tomato-saucy steam hits you right in the face and suddenly you’re the hero of the household.
This recipe’s a little Southern, a little Italian, and 100% soul food — even if it came from your plug-in crock on the counter.
Why You’ll Love It (Like, Immediately)
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Set it and forget it – No need to pre-cook pasta! It all happens in the pot.
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Rich & cheesy layers – Think lasagna, but lazier.
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Crowd-sized recipe – Feeds 8–10 easy, with leftovers that reheat beautifully.
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Budget-friendly staples – Nothing fancy, just pantry heroes doing their thing.
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Slow cooker magic – No oven, no boiling water, no stress.
Ingredients You’ll Need
(You probably have most of this already hangin’ out in the pantry or fridge.)
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2 lbs lean ground beef
Ground turkey or Italian sausage works too! -
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
This gives the dish that signature creamy “what IS that?” richness. -
½ cup sour cream
Adds a little tang and creaminess. -
1 cup ricotta cheese
Traditional lasagna vibes without the layering nightmare. -
2 tsp Italian seasoning
You can eyeball it. Or add extra if you’re feelin’ zesty. -
1½ tsp garlic powder
Garlic = flavor. You could even add minced garlic if you’re fancy. -
2 (24 oz) jars marinara sauce, divided
Use your favorite store brand. I love Rao’s or Classico when I want to be a little bougie. -
1 (24 oz) jar filled with water
Just fill up one of those empty sauce jars and give it a shake. Gets every last bit. -
1 (16 oz) box bowtie pasta, uncooked
No need to boil it first — it cooks right in the sauce. -
2½ cups shredded mozzarella
Go big here. Extra cheese never hurt anybody.
Let’s Make It: Step-by-Step (Don’t Worry, It’s Easy)
1. Brown the meat
Grab a big ol’ skillet, crumble in your ground beef, and cook it up with a little salt and pepper until fully browned. Drain off the grease — we don’t need all that. Set aside.
2. Mix the creamy stuff
In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until it’s smooth and luscious. If your cream cheese is a little stubborn, give it a few seconds in the microwave to loosen up.
3. Build the first layer in the slow cooker
Pour half a jar of marinara sauce in the bottom and spread it out with a spoon. Sprinkle on half the dry pasta, then top with the rest of that first jar of sauce.
Now fill that empty jar with water, shake it, and pour half the water over everything.
4. Add the meat and creamy dream layer
Sprinkle in half the cooked beef, then carefully spoon the entire cream cheese mixture on top. Spread it gently so it covers everything.
5. Final layers, here we go
Now pour in the rest of the pasta, top with the second full jar of marinara, and gently drizzle on the rest of the water. Finish with the remaining ground beef.
Give everything a soft press with a spoon to help it settle, but don’t stir. We want the layers to stay where they are.
6. Slow cook that magic
Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 2½ hours. Around the 2 hour mark, check the pasta. If it’s still too firm, give it another 30 minutes. Every slow cooker is a little different.
7. Add cheese and melt it real good
Once the pasta is tender, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top. Cover again and let it cook another 15–20 minutes until melty and glorious.
8. Serve & swoon
Use a big spoon to scoop it out — and make sure you get from top to bottom so everyone gets a little bit of each creamy, beefy, cheesy layer.
Variations & Tips
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Swap meats – Try Italian sausage, ground turkey, or even meatless crumbles.
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Add veggies – Mushrooms or spinach stirred in with the meat would be lovely.
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Spice it up – Red pepper flakes, chili oil drizzle, or a dash of hot sauce in the sauce.
Leftovers? They’re Even Better
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Store in the fridge for 3–4 days in an airtight container.
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Reheat in the microwave with a little splash of water or sauce to loosen it up.
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Can you freeze it? Sure — but it’s so good, you probably won’t have to.
Before You Go…
Look. This isn’t a “fancy” recipe. It’s not gonna impress a chef or get you a cooking show deal. But you know what it will do? Make your whole family happy. Fill up your people without draining your energy. And make you feel like you did something real good — even on a day when you barely kept it together.
If you try this (and I hope you do!), come back and tell me how it turned out. Did you switch anything up? Did someone lick their plate? Did you sneak back into the kitchen for just one more bite? (I do. Every time.)
From my slow cooker to yours
Slow Cooker Million Dollar Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 24 oz jars marinara sauce, divided
- 1 24 oz jar filled with water
- 1 16 oz box bowtie pasta (uncooked)
- 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, crumble, and cook until no longer pink. Drain excess grease and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until smooth. Set aside.
- Pour half of one jar of marinara sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle half of the uncooked pasta over the sauce. Pour the remaining half of the jar of marinara sauce over the pasta.
- Fill the empty sauce jar with water and pour half of it over the contents in the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle half of the cooked ground beef on top, then spread the entire cream cheese mixture evenly over it.
- Layer the remaining uncooked pasta over the cheese layer, then pour in the second full jar of marinara sauce.
- Gently pour the remaining half-jar of water over everything and top with the remaining ground beef.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 2.5 hours. Check pasta for doneness. If needed, cook an additional 30 minutes.
- Once pasta is fully cooked, sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Scoop out servings with a large spoon, ensuring you get all the delicious layers in each portion.
Notes