Description
Skip the canned version and make this rich, cheesy Slow Cooker Beef-A-Roni from scratch! Tender ground beef, elbow macaroni, homemade tomato sauce, and plenty of melted cheddar cheese come together in the crockpot for an easy comfort food dinner the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (24-ounce) jars marinara sauce
- 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 3 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion until the beef is browned. Drain any excess grease and stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the beef mixture to a 6- or 7-quart slow cooker.
- Add the marinara sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours.
- Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Cover and continue cooking for 25–35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is tender.
- Turn the slow cooker to Warm. Stir in the cheddar cheese and Parmesan until melted and creamy.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Freshly shredded cheese melts much smoother than pre-shredded cheese.
- If your sauce becomes too thick after adding the pasta, stir in a splash of beef broth.
- Cook the pasta only until al dente to prevent it from becoming mushy.
- Want an extra creamy version? Stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese with the cheddar.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day.
Make It Your Own
- Add diced mushrooms or bell peppers.
- Stir in spinach during the last 5 minutes.
- Use ground turkey or Italian sausage instead of beef.
- Swap cheddar for Colby Jack, mozzarella, or Pepper Jack.
- Sprinkle extra Parmesan on top before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 MINUTES
- Cook Time: 4-5 HOURS
- Category: Dinner
- Method: SLOW COOKER
- Cuisine: American