Description
A comforting and easy one-pot meal featuring pasta cooked in marinara sauce with ground beef and topped with mozzarella and cheddar, all made in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef (93% lean)
- 12 oz uncooked rotini pasta
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 20 slices turkey pepperoni
- Optional: 1/2 cup sliced black olives or mushrooms
Instructions
- Brown the beef: Heat a skillet over medium. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until no longer pink and browned. Drain excess fat and set beef aside.
- Build the sauce in the crockpot: In a 6-quart slow cooker combine the cooked beef, marinara sauce, beef broth, chopped onion, diced green bell pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Add the pasta and some pepperoni: Stir in the uncooked rotini so every noodle is coated with sauce. Scatter half of the turkey pepperoni slices over the top.
- Slow-cook on low: Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Stir once about halfway through the cooking time to prevent sticking and check liquid — if it looks very thick, add 1/4 cup extra broth.
- Add the cheeses: When the pasta is tender (test a piece around 3 hours), sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar over the top and arrange remaining pepperoni slices. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes more, until cheeses are fully melted and bubbly.
- Serve hot: Give everything a gentle stir to combine the melted cheese into the pasta, then portion out.
Notes
Make it vegetarian by using lentils or plant-based meat. For gluten-free, use GF rotini. For dairy-free, opt for dairy-free cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian