11 Crockpot Pasta Recipes with Ground Beef for Busy Nights

Crockpot pasta recipes with ground beef work because the slow heat lets the beef season the sauce while the pasta soaks up flavor. Ground beef stays tender and breaks into small, saucy pieces, which is exactly what you want in a one-pot pasta. The versions below take that same base into genuinely different territory, from classic marinara to spicy Cajun and creamy mushroom.

Start with the Classic Crockpot Ground Beef Pasta if you want a no-frills red sauce. Taco Beef Pasta is the one for a little heat, Lasagna Pasta gives you extra cheese in every scoop, and Beef and Broccoli Pasta goes in a completely different direction.

Which Crockpot Pasta Should You Make?

Classic Crockpot Ground Beef Pasta

This is the one you make when you want the beef and the tomato sauce to do all the talking. It keeps things simple, but the long cook gives the sauce a slow-simmered depth that a stovetop version just cannot hit in twenty minutes.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Ground beef (85% lean): 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 medium
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Marinara sauce: 680 g (24 oz jar)
• Diced tomatoes with juices: 400 g (14 oz)
• Beef stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Italian seasoning: 2 tsp
• Elbow macaroni: 340 g (12 oz)
• Shredded mozzarella: 200 g (2 cups)
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the 900 g (2 lb) ground beef and the diced onion, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. After about 7 minutes, when you no longer see pink, stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.

Step 2: Scrape the beef mixture into the slow cooker, then pour in the 680 g (24 oz jar) marinara, the 400 g (14 oz) diced tomatoes, the 480 ml (2 cups) beef stock, and the 2 tsp Italian seasoning. Stir everything together, cover, and let it cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours while you go do something else.

Step 3: When the sauce has mellowed, you stir in the 340 g (12 oz) elbow macaroni and push every piece under the liquid. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes, then taste a noodle; it should have just a little chew left.

Step 4: Turn off the slow cooker and you can sprinkle the 200 g (2 cups) shredded mozzarella over the top. Cover and wait 5 minutes while it melts, and you will see the cheese settle into the sauce before you scoop.

Step 5: Serve it hot in big bowls and pass the black pepper. Your kitchen already did the hard part.

Cheesy Crockpot Beef Shells

This version leans hard into mac and cheese territory, but the beef and tomatoes keep it from turning into a kid-only bowl. You still get real dinner structure under all that sharp cheddar and cream cheese.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground beef (90% lean): 680 g (1.5 lb)
• Small pasta shells: 340 g (12 oz)
• Beef stock: 720 ml (3 cups)
• Diced tomatoes with green chiles: 285 g (10 oz)
• Cream cheese, cubed: 225 g (8 oz)
• Shredded sharp cheddar: 240 g (2 cups)
• Whole milk: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Butter: 2 tbsp
• Garlic and onion powder: 1 tsp each
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the 680 g (1.5 lb) ground beef, breaking it into small crumbles. Once you see no pink, about 6 minutes, drain off any excess fat and transfer the beef to the slow cooker.

Step 2: Pour in the 720 ml (3 cups) beef stock, the 285 g (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, the 2 tbsp butter, the garlic and onion powder, salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, and you can forget about it until the timer goes.

Step 3: When the timer goes, you stir the 340 g (12 oz) pasta shells into the hot liquid and press them under the surface. Cover and cook on high for 25 minutes, then taste one to check that it is soft but still holds its shape.

Step 4: Drop in the 225 g (8 oz) cream cheese and pour in the 240 ml (1 cup) milk. Stir slowly as it melts, about 4 minutes, and you will see the sauce turn from chunky to silky. Fold in the 240 g (2 cups) shredded cheddar.

Step 5: Turn the slow cooker to warm and scoop it into bowls. You can crack black pepper over each one.

Crockpot Taco Beef Pasta

Taco Tuesday meets a slow cooker bowl, and the result is more satisfying than either one alone. The salsa and taco seasoning bring the heat, while the black beans and corn give every scoop a little extra body.

Ingredients (makes 7 servings)

• Ground beef: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 medium
• Taco seasoning: 2 tbsp
• Salsa, medium: 340 g (12 oz)
• Black beans, drained and rinsed: 400 g (14 oz)
• Frozen corn: 150 g (1 cup)
• Beef stock: 360 ml (1.5 cups)
• Pasta shells or rotini: 340 g (12 oz)
• Shredded Mexican cheese blend: 200 g (2 cups)
• Vegetable oil: 1 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 900 g (2 lb) ground beef and diced onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and keep breaking up the meat with your spoon. You will know it is ready when there is no pink left, about 8 minutes; drain the fat and move the beef to the slow cooker.

Step 2: Tip the 2 tbsp taco seasoning, 340 g (12 oz) salsa, 400 g (14 oz) black beans, 150 g (1 cup) corn, and 360 ml (1.5 cups) beef stock into the slow cooker. Stir it all together, cover, and you can let it cook on low for 3 hours or high for 1 hour.

Step 3: After those hours are up, you stir in the 340 g (12 oz) pasta and make sure the liquid covers most of it. Cover and cook on high for 22 minutes, until the noodles have soaked up the spiced broth.

Step 4: Turn off the heat and sprinkle the 200 g (2 cups) cheese over the top. Put the lid back on for 3 minutes so the cheese melts while you grab the toppings.

Step 5: Serve it hot straight from the slow cooker. You will want a spoon and a fork for this one.

Creamy Beef and Mushroom Pasta

I go heavier on the mushrooms than most recipes do, and that is what makes this version taste like something you ordered rather than something you thawed. The sour cream goes in at the very end so the sauce stays silky instead of splitting.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Ground beef (85% lean): 680 g (1.5 lb)
• Cremini mushrooms, sliced: 225 g (8 oz)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 medium
• Garlic cloves, minced: 2
• Beef stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Dijon mustard: 1 tbsp
• Sour cream: 180 g (3/4 cup)
• Egg noodles: 255 g (9 oz)
• All-purpose flour: 2 tbsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 680 g (1.5 lb) ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as you go. When the meat is nearly done, after 6 minutes, add the 225 g (8 oz) sliced cremini mushrooms and the diced onion, and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in the 2 minced garlic cloves for 1 minute more.

Step 2: Tip the beef mixture into the slow cooker, then sprinkle over the 2 tbsp flour and toss until you cannot see any white patches. Pour in the 480 ml (2 cups) beef stock and the 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, stir, cover, and cook on low for 3 hours.

Step 3: When that time is up, you stir the 255 g (9 oz) egg noodles into the sauce and press them down under the liquid. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes, and you will feel the sauce tighten as the noodles soften.

Step 4: Turn off the heat and you can drop in the 180 g (3/4 cup) sour cream. Stir gently until the sauce becomes pale and glossy, about 2 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

Step 5: Ladle it into wide bowls while the sauce is loose. You will get the deepest mushroom flavor first.

Crockpot Lasagna Pasta

This is lasagna you do not have to layer perfectly or wait all day for. The ricotta and spinach get tucked between broken noodles, and the slow cooker does the careful work of turning it into something that pulls apart in soft, cheesy layers.

Ingredients (makes 9 servings)

• Ground beef (85% lean): 900 g (2 lb)
• Lasagna noodles, broken into pieces: 300 g (10 oz)
• Marinara sauce: 680 g (24 oz jar)
• Ricotta cheese: 425 g (15 oz)
• Shredded mozzarella: 340 g (3 cups)
• Grated Parmesan: 50 g (1/2 cup)
• Baby spinach, roughly chopped: 120 g (4 cups)
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Italian seasoning: 2 tsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: In a large skillet, brown the 900 g (2 lb) ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces with your spoon. When it loses all its pink, around 8 minutes, stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and 2 tsp Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.

Step 2: While the beef cools slightly, stir together the 425 g (15 oz) ricotta, 50 g (1/2 cup) Parmesan, chopped baby spinach, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. You want the ricotta speckled green and easy to spread.

Step 3: Spread a third of the 680 g (24 oz) marinara in the bottom of the slow cooker, then layer half the 300 g (10 oz) broken lasagna noodles. Add half the meat and half the ricotta mixture, then repeat those layers, and you can finish with the last of the sauce.

Step 4: Sprinkle the 340 g (3 cups) mozzarella over the top, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours. You will know it is ready when the noodles offer no resistance to a knife and the top is bubbling at the edges.

Step 5: Rest it for 10 minutes, then serve big squares in bowls. You will get that lasagna pull with every scoop.

Spicy Cajun Beef Pasta

The cream cheese softens the blow, but the Cajun seasoning still comes through loud and clear. Bell pepper, onion, and celery make this taste like a Louisiana potluck that happened to land on pasta night.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground beef: 900 g (2 lb)
• Cajun seasoning: 2 tbsp
• Green bell pepper, diced: 1
• Celery stalk, diced: 1
• Yellow onion, diced: 1
• Diced tomatoes with green chiles: 285 g (10 oz)
• Beef stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Cream cheese: 225 g (8 oz)
• Penne pasta: 340 g (12 oz)
• Vegetable oil: 1 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 900 g (2 lb) ground beef, 1 diced green bell pepper, 1 diced celery stalk, and 1 diced yellow onion in a large skillet with the 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook for 8 minutes, until the vegetables soften and you no longer see pink in the meat.

Step 2: Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, then add the 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning, 285 g (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, and 480 ml (2 cups) beef stock. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 3 hours, and you can use that time to make a salad.

Step 3: After the sauce is deeply spiced, you stir in the 340 g (12 oz) penne and push it under the liquid. Cover and cook on high for 22 minutes, then taste a noodle; it should be tender and carry heat all the way through.

Step 4: Turn the heat off and you can drop in the 225 g (8 oz) cream cheese. Stir for 3 minutes until the sauce goes velvety and rusty orange.

Step 5: Serve the pasta while the sauce is still creamy, and warn your people that the heat catches up.

Crockpot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta

All the savory beef, peppers, and onions you want from a cheesesteak, minus the roll and the mess. The provolone melts into the sauce in soft ribbons, and the soy sauce deepens the beefiness without taking over.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Ground beef (85% lean): 680 g (1.5 lb)
• Green bell pepper, sliced: 1 large
• Yellow onion, sliced: 1 large
• Cremini mushrooms, sliced: 225 g (8 oz)
• Garlic cloves, minced: 2
• Beef stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Low sodium soy sauce: 2 tbsp
• Black pepper: 1 tsp
• Penne pasta: 340 g (12 oz)
• Provolone cheese, shredded: 225 g (8 oz)

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 680 g (1.5 lb) ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with your spoon. At the 4 minute mark, when the meat is half crumbled, you can add the sliced green bell pepper, sliced onion, and sliced mushrooms, and cook until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in the 2 minced garlic cloves for 1 minute.

Step 2: Move everything to the slow cooker, then pour in the 480 ml (2 cups) beef stock, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp black pepper. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, and you will notice the broth darkens as the peppers break down.

Step 3: When the base tastes rich and salty, you stir in the 340 g (12 oz) penne and press it under the broth. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes, until you can slide a fork through a noodle without much pressure.

Step 4: Turn off the heat and scatter the 225 g (8 oz) shredded provolone over the top. Put the lid back on for 4 minutes, just until you see the cheese melt into soft ribbons.

Step 5: Scoop it into bowls while the cheese is loose. You will want to eat it before it sets.

Gluten-Free Garden Beef Pasta

No cheese, no wheat, and no fuss. This one puts the vegetables up front, and the gluten-free rotini soaks up the tomato broth quickly, so you have to keep an eye on it near the end.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Lean ground beef: 680 g (1.5 lb)
• Gluten-free rotini: 340 g (12 oz)
• Zucchini, diced: 1 medium
• Red bell pepper, diced: 1
• Yellow onion, diced: 1
• Garlic cloves, minced: 2
• Diced tomatoes with juices: 400 g (14 oz)
• Vegetable stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Italian seasoning: 2 tsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 680 g (1.5 lb) ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. When you see no pink after about 7 minutes, add the diced yellow onion and cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the 2 minced garlic cloves.

Step 2: Transfer the beef and onions to the slow cooker, then add the 400 g (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juices, 480 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock, diced zucchini, diced red bell pepper, and 2 tsp Italian seasoning. Stir everything, cover, and cook on low for 3 hours, which gives you time to prep tomorrow’s lunch.

Step 3: When the vegetables are almost soft, you stir in the 340 g (12 oz) gluten-free rotini and push it under the liquid. Cover and cook on high for 14 minutes, then taste early, because gluten-free pasta goes from firm to falling apart quickly.

Step 4: Taste the sauce and you can add salt and black pepper until the tomato flavor snaps into focus.

Step 5: Ladle it into bowls while the zucchini is still tender. You will feel good about this one, and it reheats beautifully for lunch.

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Pasta

This takes the sticky, salty energy of takeout beef and broccoli and trades the rice for penne. The broccoli steams right in the sauce during the last few minutes, so it keeps its color and bite.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Ground beef: 680 g (1.5 lb)
• Broccoli florets: 300 g (4 cups)
• Beef stock: 360 ml (1.5 cups)
• Low sodium soy sauce: 60 ml (1/4 cup)
• Brown sugar: 2 tbsp
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Fresh ginger, grated: 1 tbsp
• Toasted sesame oil: 2 tsp
• Penne pasta: 340 g (12 oz)
• Cornstarch: 1 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 680 g (1.5 lb) ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces with your spoon. When the pink is gone, about 7 minutes, stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp grated ginger and cook for 30 seconds, until you smell them.

Step 2: Move the beef to the slow cooker. In a small bowl, you whisk the 60 ml (1/4 cup) soy sauce, 360 ml (1.5 cups) beef stock, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tbsp cornstarch until smooth, then pour that over the beef.

Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, and the sauce will thicken and darken. You can stir it once halfway if the smell pulls you into the kitchen.

Step 4: When the sauce has thickened, you stir in the 340 g (12 oz) penne and cook on high for 12 minutes. Then you add the 300 g (4 cups) broccoli florets, close the lid, and cook 8 minutes more, until the pasta is tender and the broccoli turns bright green.

Step 5: Drizzle over the sesame oil and serve in deep bowls. You will get sticky, salty noodles in every bite.

Cheesy Beef Tortellini with Spinach

This one feels a little fancier because the tortellini are already stuffed, but the slow cooker takes it easy on you. The spinach wilts into the sauce at the last moment, and the cream pulls the whole pot into soft, mild territory.

Ingredients (makes 7 servings)

• Ground beef: 680 g (1.5 lb)
• Cheese tortellini, refrigerated: 570 g (20 oz)
• Marinara sauce: 680 g (24 oz)
• Baby spinach: 120 g (4 cups)
• Heavy cream: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Shredded mozzarella: 150 g (1.5 cups)
• Grated Parmesan: 50 g (1/2 cup)
• Vegetable stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Garlic cloves, minced: 2
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 680 g (1.5 lb) ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with your spoon. Once the meat loses its pink, after about 7 minutes, you stir in the 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds.

Step 2: Move the beef to the slow cooker, then pour in the 680 g (24 oz) marinara, 240 ml (1 cup) vegetable stock, and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, and you will come back to a deeper, meatier sauce.

Step 3: Add the 570 g (20 oz) cheese tortellini and the 120 g (4 cups) baby spinach to the pot, pressing the spinach under the sauce. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes, until the tortellini float and you can pierce one easily with a fork.

Step 4: You can pour in the 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream and stir gently, then scatter over the 150 g (1.5 cups) shredded mozzarella and 50 g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan. Close the lid for 3 minutes, just until the cheese melts into the sauce.

Step 5: Serve it in wide bowls while the sauce is creamy. You will want a spoon for the last of the cheese.

Mini Meatball Pasta in the Crockpot

Rolling tiny meatballs takes a few extra minutes, but it changes the whole dish. Instead of loose beef, every forkful gets a tender, browned bite that holds onto the tomato sauce without disappearing.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Ground beef: 900 g (2 lb)
• Small pasta, like ditalini: 340 g (12 oz)
• Panko breadcrumbs: 50 g (1/2 cup)
• Grated Parmesan: 30 g (1/3 cup)
• Egg: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Marinara sauce: 680 g (24 oz)
• Beef stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Dried oregano: 1 tsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the 900 g (2 lb) ground beef, 50 g (1/2 cup) panko breadcrumbs, 30 g (1/3 cup) grated Parmesan, 1 egg, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp dried oregano, and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Knead gently with your hands until it just comes together, then roll the mixture into about 40 small meatballs, each the size of a cherry.

Step 2: Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the meatballs in a single layer, working in two batches so they don’t crowd. Cook them for about 6 minutes, turning with your spoon, until the outside is browned but the centers can stay a little pink, because they’ll finish in the sauce.

Step 3: Move the meatballs to the slow cooker and pour over the 680 g (24 oz) marinara and 480 ml (2 cups) beef stock. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, and you will smell the garlic and oregano long before the timer goes off.

Step 4: When the meatballs are tender and cooked through, you stir in the 340 g (12 oz) small pasta, making sure the sauce covers it. Cover and cook on high for 18 minutes, until the pasta is tender and has soaked up some of the meatball juices.

Step 5: Turn the slow cooker to warm and rest it for 5 minutes. You can spoon it into bowls, aiming for four meatballs per serving.

Step 6: Spoon the pasta into bowls on a night when you have people to feed. You will find the small meatballs hold up better than loose ground beef, and everyone gets a few.

The one rule that matters is to keep your pasta on the firmer side when you add it. The slow cooker keeps cooking after you turn it off, and pasta that starts too soft will turn to mush. Taste a noodle two minutes early and pull it while there is still a little resistance.

Pick the version that matches the kind of night you are having, set the machine, and let it do the waiting. You have dinner handled.