Description
A comforting slow-cooked pasta dish with creamy sauce and hearty ground beef, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 recommended)
- 1/2 cup onion (finely diced)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 8 oz pasta (penne or rotini)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 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
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat the oil in a skillet, add ground beef, and cook until browned. Drain excess grease and transfer to a slow cooker.
- Build the Base: Add beef broth and spices to the slow cooker. Stir well and cover. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 4-6 hours.
- Mix It All Together: Near the end of cooking, switch to HIGH and add uncooked pasta. Slowly stir in heavy cream and parmesan, cooking uncovered for 45 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir in fresh spinach before serving.
Notes
For a lighter option, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a milk and Greek yogurt mix.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 150 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: ground beef, pasta, creamy pasta, slow cooker, comfort food, family dinner