Crock Pot Million Dollar Pasta has layers of sauce, pasta, beef and a special cream sauce all topped with melty, gooey mozzarella cheese!
CROCK POT MILLION DOLLAR PASTA
If there is one thing I could eat over and over and never get tired of - it's pasta. My son and I love it (especially this Crock Pot Million Dollar Pasta recipe I am sharing today!) My husband - not so much. He's weird. Who doesn't like pasta? So what happens is I end up making a big batch (because hey - the other people in the house still like it!) and we end up having a lot leftover.
VIDEO INCLUDED BELOW:
DO I NEED TO BOIL THE NOODLES FIRST?
Nope! You do not have to boil the pasta noodles first - woo hoo! A yummy, creamy, flavorful sauce with tender pasta all topped with a gooey, melty cheese. Worth it's weight in gold 😉 For me, pasta is the perfect leftover food. So I don't mind if I have lots leftover. This recipe is made all in one pot (yay for less dirty dishes!) but it also takes your traditional pasta and sauce meal to something just a bit more special.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
ground beef
cream cheese
sour cream
ricotta cheese
garlic
parsley
spaghetti sauce
water,
cavatappi, cellentini or macaroni pasta
mozzarella cheese
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT MILLION DOLLAR PASTA:
Brown and crumble ground beef (season with salt and pepper.) Drain excess grease and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese, minced garlic and parsley.
In the bottom of a 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker, add half a jar of spaghetti sauce. Evenly layer half the box of the cavatappi pasta on top of sauce. Pour remaining jar of spaghetti sauce over noodles. Pour on half a jar of water.
Then layer half the cooked ground beef mixture over top.
Dollop the entire cream cheese mixture evenly as possible over the beef layer. Do not stir.
Evenly layer the rest of the cavatappi pasta on top of the cream cheese layer.
Top with remaining jar spaghetti sauce. Pour another half jar of water on top of spaghetti sauce. Finally, layer the rest of the cooked ground beef on top. Cover and cook on low for about 3-4 hours. After cooking, gently stir mixture. Then layer with 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover for an additional 15-20 minutes (until cheese is melted.)
Then dig in!
Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
WANT MORE SCRUMPTIOUS RECIPES LIKE THIS? GIVE THESE A TRY!
CROCK POT TACO PASTA
CROCK POT SALSA RANCH CHICKEN PASTA
CROCK POT LASAGNA
EASY SPAGHETTI "CUPCAKES"
CROCK POT MILLION DOLLAR PASTA
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 (24 oz) jars spaghetti sauce divided use
- 1 (24 oz) jar water
- 1 (16 oz) box cavatappi pasta
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Brown and crumble ground beef (season with salt and pepper.) Drain excess grease and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese, minced garlic and parsley.
- In the bottom of a 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker, add half a jar of spaghetti sauce.
- Evenly layer half the box of the cavatappi pasta on top of sauce.
- Pour remaining jar of spaghetti sauce over noodles.
- Pour on half a jar of water.
- Then layer half the cooked ground beef mixture over top.
- Dollop the entire cream cheese mixture evenly as possible over the beef layer. Do not stir.
- Evenly layer the rest of the cavatappi pasta on top of the cream cheese layer.
- Top with remaining jar spaghetti sauce
- Pour another half jar of water on top of spaghetti sauce.
- Finally, layer the rest of the cooked ground beef on top.
- Cover and cook on low for about 3-4 hours.
- Stir mixture, then layer with 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover for an additional 15-20 minutes (until cheese is melted.)
Video
Nutrition
Originally published: October 2016
Updated & republished: June 2019
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D
I substituted spicy sausage for the ground beef. Definitely a crowd pleaser. Thanks!
Measha
This was a hit in our home.
Made it by recipe. My children really enjoyed it!
Meredith Lynch
Hi Brandie! This looks awesome! Should you stir throughout?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
It's really not necessary. You can certainly check on it halfway through and make sure it's all cooking evenly. Some slow cookers can run hotter than others so you could always stir it at that point to ensure even cooking. Hope that helps! 🙂
Anabel
I think my crockpot is smaller than a 6 quart, so can I just go ahead and use half of the ingredients to make sure everything fits? This sounds so yummy with all the cheese in it! Thank you!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Anabel, yes you could. You don't want your slow cooker crammed too full or everything will cook unevenly. Hope that helps!
Michelle
Can you substitute a low-sodium chicken broth for the water?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Yes you could certainly do that if you prefer.
Anna
I love this recipe! Is there anyway to make it without the beef for vegetarians? Do I need to adjust the water or pasta sauce quantities? Thanks so much!!
Ginget
Hello. I love this pasta dish! So yummy! Could I double the recipe? The ingredients doubled and the amount it takes to cook doubled? I'm making this for a huge gathering on Monday and I wanted to know what I needed to do if I just doubled the entire thing?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I don't recommend doubling it in one slow cooker. The pasta just won't cook evenly enough and it'll end up gummy. I would actually get a second slow cooker and make two batches. 🙂
Ginger Brown
Gotcha!!! Thank you!!❤
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Anytime! I'm so happy you like this one!
Kayla
I have a 16 oz container of ricotta cheese could I just use the whole container?
Jessica Corley
At 3 hours this was a bit mushy, could probably have taken it out in 2. Also very creamy. I'll probably halve the cream cheese and the mozzarella next time. And add way more garlic.
Arti
I am trying this recipe tonight. Wanted to know if I can mix Italian sausage and ground beef? Also, kind of scared of the mushy pasta. How can that be prevented? Adding more pasta?
Susan
Oh just eating this now, yum! I was worried because I made a smaller batch in a 2qt crock. It was still very full but not over flowing and I used spaghetti. The spaghetti came out just perfect Al dente even note though it took only about an hour on high setting.
Sue
This came out nice, and made a huge amount of food! I will try to freeze some of the leftovers. I did make the meat mixture with onions, and added a liberal amount of Italian seasoning. Next time, I will add mushrooms to it.
Jessica R
If I want to half this and cook it in the oven how long should I Cook? And what temp? Also, do I stir together before adding cheese after cooking like crockpot or no?
Cathy Homan
Can I use beef broth vs water?
Terri
Brandie, You have great recipes and I thank you. This is one we didn’t like. I used Penne Pasta, a lb. of ground beef and a lb. of Italian sausage. In browning the meat, I added sliced fresh mushrooms and a small Vidalia onion, chopped.
Everything else exactly as recipe called for. It seemed bland and the pasta was mushy. I used my large casserole crock pot and it was full to almost running over. It made way too much. We ate it twice and disposed of the rest. Hated to waste it, but we just couldn’t eat again.
Sara Marx
I halved this recipe and used a 4 quart crockpot.
I cooked it for the 4 hours and it was perfect.
A real hit with our whole family!
Kerry
The flavors are fantastic! Cooking on low for 4 hours resulted in overcooked noodles and a mushy consistency. I think I'll do this recipe with cooked noodles in the oven as someone suggested in the comments.
Ann Trigg
Can your Million Dollar Pasta be frozen and still taste good? Thank you!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Ann! That is a good question. I will be perfectly honest - I haven't tried freezing it. It seems like it would work and be okay. If you try it - please let me know!
Kelli
Do you cook the noodles 1st or put them in the crock pot uncooked?
Lana
Used plant based gluten free pasta and completely dissolved!
Anyone have issues? Still tastes good but NO PASTA! So heads up!
Judy
How much pasta for the serving of carbs? We have a diabetic.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Judy, for people with medical conditions, I ask that you use your own trusted nutritional calculators. The nutritional information on this recipe are for informational purposes only and should not be used as guidance for a particular health condition.
Judi
Has anyone tried doubling the recipe? Will everything still fit in the crock pot? Any adjustments you would suggest?
Heather Smylie
In reply to Judi -I have a very large crockpot and this recipe fills the crockpot so if I were going to double the recipe I would use two crockpots or put it in a roaster pan and make it in the oven for an hour or an hour and a half on 350 covered.
Greta
Can this be made with spaghetti noodles?
Susan
Well I saw this question too but I went ahead and tried it using about half pound spaghetti broken up but im using a 2qt crock so I'll let you know what happens it's pretty full lol I also omitted the water because my sauce is on the thinner side.
I did see another video saying cook the sauce then throw the spaghetti in turning it to high for about 40 min and start testing until desired tenderness so thats what im trying. Good luck. 🙂
Marci
Didnt have cavatappi..hopefully rotini will work?...have u tried other pastas
Bry
This food is amazing!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thanks so much Bry!
Heather Smylie
Thank you for this delicious recipe!! I love this but I ALWAYS make it with 1lb hamburger and 1 lb Italian sausage. Today I am using cottage cheese because I was out of ricotta. I put it in the food processor to make it smooth although that wasn’t necessary. My advice is to always use a sauce you love because it will make a difference in the flavor.
Sometimes I layer it in the oven with no boil pasta and put the cheese mixture in the middle of two layers of noodle and sauce/water mixture. I cover and bake on 350 for an hour uncover, add cheese, bake until melted then I remove from the oven and stir. The noodles have more texture this way. But either way this recipe is wonderful! Thanks again!
Ian
Can I also make this in a pressure cooker? Does anyone know the timing at heat level for that?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I haven't tested it yet in a pressure cooker. Perhaps someone on here has though and can help!
Kelly Thompson
What can I use as a substitute if I'm taking out ricotta cheese?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Most folks substitute ricotta cheese with cottage cheese.
Nicole
You can also use Marscapone cheese, rather than cottage.
Visitor
Marscapone would be a replacement for cream cheese. I wouldn't substitute cottage cheese. Just use the ricotta.
Greg
Thoughts on using chicken broth instead of water? Plus, I am thinking of adding some sort of frozen veggies, like an italian blend, or maybe some spinach, tho I'm not sure how it would turn out.
Andrea
Is there a reason to layering it all at first when once it’s cooked you stir it all together anyways? Just wondering if it would be the same turnout?
Nancy
Hi,
Have you made a vegetarian version? Or for a potluck? Any advice? Thanks
BRITTNEY
would rigatoni work or would it get too soggy? i am trying to clean out the pasta in my pantry.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Brittney - I imagine you could. I haven't tested it with rigatoni but if you give it a try - let me know!
julie s.
Haa anyone tried to double the batch? Have a big crowd to feed, maybe needs to cook longer?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Julie, I would do it in two separate crock pots. Doubling it in one won't allow it to cook properly. 🙂
angela eddinger
Can I put this together the night before? It looks wonderful
Kirsten Naya
Made this in a 4 QT for dinner and it turned out perfectly, seriously addicting plus my son who normally hates sauce on his pasta was obsessed!!!!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Score one for Mom! Ha! Love hearing that Kirsten! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment!
Jacqui S
I'm going to make this without the ground meat, but adding spinach. Thoughts?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I never say not to spinach. 🙂
Janice McMillan
Could I use mostocchioli noodles? Would the cook time be different since noodles are bigger? Thanks
Carol
Forgot to add that I used shells and it held the sauce and cheese beautifully.
Carol
Following up...Kids loved it. Made as described just added seasoning salt, dried oregano, dried basil, onion powder, garlic salt and diced onions while cooking the beef. We like spices. Also threw a handful of.mushrooms that I diced and a few teaspoons of white sugar on the top while cooking after it was layered. Took 3 hours in an Instant Pot on slowcooker low vent open. I haven't heard a word since it was served except "Wow this is the best pasta ever!!!" from "Mr Picky" followed by a quick "Yes" from "Miss I Hate Red Sauce" and my oldest "Mr Garbage Disposal" didn't even come up for air... just silently hoovered. Guess it must be good. ???????????? Saving this one for sure! Thank you for the new super easy recipe. Can't wait to try the different variations but this recipe is solid! Love this new way to cook pasta.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I am cracking up Carol! I absolutely loved reading your comment!! Thank you so very much for taking the time to come back and leave all of this great feedback!
Carol
Thank you for the super easy, throw together, delish meal. Has anyone tried this this with 1 part red sauce & 1 part white garlic sauce OR 2 parts white garlic sauce with chicken, broccoli or broccolini and parmesan? Just curious. I like to make my lasagna like my hubby's grandmother from Italy/Sicily with either all red OR half white garlic and half red sauce with fresh chiffonade basil on top symbolizing the Italian flag. Might be good with some mushrooms and finely chopped olives too :).
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I love the mix of the two sauces. Now I'm drooling. Ha! I think you could totally do some chicken, broccoli and white sauce!
Andrea Acuna
Can I use a different type of pasta? Like a garbanzo bean based pasta or a lentil based one? Thank you! It looks delicious!
Diana Angel
Is there another replacement for ricotta instead of cottage cheese?
Thank you.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Maybe mascarpone cheese? You may want to add a tad bit of salt to the mascarpone because it's more of a sweeter style cheese.
Niki
I set up the crockpot the night before and cooked it the next afternoon. Only use 1/2 a jar of water and dont put it in until you start cooking it. Also I would suggest seasoning with salt both when cooking your meat and before you add the mozzarella cheese.
Niki
Can this recipe be made the night before and be kept in the refrigerator?
Jessica
My kids LOVE this pasta! The 8 year old asked me yesterday to make "that thing with the noodles I really like" lol I used 1lb of ground beef and 1lb of ground sausage the first time i made it and it was so good that I'm not gonna change it. I also just throw in whatever small pasta I have on hand at the time. Tonight we are using halloween shapes!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Nothing makes me happier than to hear when the kiddos love a recipe! Thank you so much Jessica!!
Xiomara Rodriguez
Making this for dinner tonight.....how long if I cook it on high?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I haven't tested it on high yet Xiomara. You could try cutting the time in half. You have to be careful with burning though.
Mary
Can elbow macaroni be used instead of cavatappi?
Jeri
This looks so delicious!! There's only two of us. Could this recipe be cut in half? Thanks
Jobo
Will this work as well with a jarred Alfredo sauce. We don’t care for red sauce.
Morgana
This sounds absolutely delicious. I have a question about the number of servings. The recipe states that it serves 6, however it calls for 2 pounds of ground beef. That seems a lot for just 6 servings. Is the number of servings listed correct?Thank you for sharing such great recipes!
Smithkin
Could you freeze this and then cook it?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I haven't tried it. It's hard to say because you are putting in the noodles uncooked. I don't think it would cook properly from frozen...
Briana
I was wondering if I could make this recipe ahead of time? For example, put all ingredients in the crock pot and leave in in the refrigerator until I’m ready to cook it?
Sharon
I was wondering this also. Did you try it?
Maranda
Hello, just wondering how cottage cheese would be in replace of ricotta cheese. Thoughts?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Maranda, It should work fine in this recipe. I have a recipe for Crock Pot Lasagna that uses cottage cheese and it comes out great!
Maranda
Thanks so much!
Carol R Geary
Thank you for the quick response. I had already browned half the meat and told my husband I thought it would be too much if I doubled it and would use 2 slow cookers which fortunately I have. I must have bee reading your mind since I took a break between the two batches of meat to check e-mails and you confirmed my suspicions, Can't wait to try it, just reading the ingredients makes my mouth water. thanks again
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Ha! I was hoping I would get my response in time before you made it!! Hope everyone enjoyed it!!
Carol R Geary
Someone asked on Nov.7th of last year if this could be doubled and there's been no reply. Plannig to do that for a church pot-luck this Sunday so may be too late for a reply. Wondering if it would need to cook longer
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I wouldn’t double it in one slow cooker. It would be far too much to cook evenly. I would recommend two separate slow cookers.
Alia
Can this be cooked in the oven ? If I cook the pasta noodles ? I’m running low on time.
Elizabeth
Absolutely amazing. Shared with all my mama friends
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thank you so very much Elizabeth!! 🙂
Nora
I cooked my noodles first and still added the water is it going to be too watery now?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Yikes, possibly?
Christy Evans
Can this be converted to a non - crockpot version? I'm short on time but want this meal... Haha
Kristyn
This was really good. I am very busy and didn't have time for the crock pot so I tried it in the pressure cooker. It was so delicious. I will definitely make it again.
Christy Evans
Can it be cooked even quicker? Skillet maybe? I can't wrap my brain around it right now. ????
Kristyn Warren
I bet it could. You could turn it into a one pot spaghetti but not sure how the layering would work.
Lindsay French
How long did you cook it?
Kristyn
I cooked it for about 10-12 minutes
Shari wheeler
Kristyn,
You just followed the recipe exactly as written except cooked it in your Instant Pot at 10 min on manual high? Did you let it vent naturally? Thank you so much!
Vickie
LOL! Your hubby must be my long lost brother/cousin, etc! I don't like pasta either except for Chinese lo mein. But I do have a family of pasta lovers and I love having some good pasta recipes on hand for them. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Anytime I mention that we're having any type of pasta, his shoulders drop like a disappointed five year old. LOL
Midge
If you read the recipe it states the amount clearly. Two 24 oz. jars.
Robert Peterson
When you say jar how many ounces is a jar?
Allison
Wow! This was amazing. For those of you wondering...I cut the recipe in half and cooked for 3 hrs/10 minutes and it was perfect!! Next time I’ll try Italian sausage! So good!
Donesha
If I cut this recipe in half, how long should I cook it instead?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Donesha, I haven't tested that out to be honest so I couldn't really give you a proven time. I think you could perhaps cut it back by a couple of hours but you'll have to play around with the time yourself to see what works best.
Kathy
I don't often have time or the energy to make anything fancy anymore. I always loved having a crockpot to make easy meals, but never thought of making something like this in a crockpot. I thought that I would give it a try. I used some of my own seasoning when cooking the burger. When we came home for dinner, I was amazed at how good this was. Easiest recipe to make and SO GOOD!
I don't want to bother with pasta any other way. And my family is fine with that.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Kathy!! Yay! Absolutely love hearing that! Thank you so very much for taking the time out of your busy day to come back here and leave such a great comment!
Jamie
This is SooOo good. I used Italian sausage but that was all I changed because I wanted some. Daddy and my 18 month old Loved it! There's enough for dinner tonight, too. Can I just reheat this in the crockpot on low? Or do I have to reheat plates in the microwave?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Jamie! Sorry for my delay in responding! So, so happy you loved this one! You could reheat in the crockpot. The key is not letting it dry out. So, I tend to cover with a paper towel and just reheat in the microwave. 🙂
Kaylee
Hey there making this tonight! Would halfing the recipe work? Will it affect anything?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Shouldn't be a problem! Just keep an eye on the cooking time. Hope you love it!
Dawn
Do you have to use cavatappi or can you use any kind of noodles??
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Dawn - you could really use any kind of noodle. I like the cavatappi because it kind of grabs and holds onto the sauce and cheese.:)
Rake
It's very good!! I recommend trying it, i used italin sausage and onion too
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thank you Rake!! So happy you loved it with the Italian sausage too! 🙂
Sarah
Looks great. I don’t have time to pick up ricotta could I leave out or should I replace with more sour cream and Parmesan?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Sarah, I haven't tried it but it should work. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Heather M
We don't eat red meat. Was wondering if ground turkey instead.
Jessica
Do you think I can eliminate the crockpot all together and just bake it in the oven? Obviously cooking the meat beforehand, possibly the pasta too?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Jessica! You sure could! Cook the pasta and brown the ground beef and don't add the water. 🙂
Britney
Do you think I could eliminate the water and cook pasta and then follow layering directions in a baking pan and stick in oven like a lasagna?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Britney - yes, I would think so! 🙂
Kim
I'm actually going to try this in my instant pot as is and just cook it as slow cooker...fingers crossed all goes well!!!
Naina
Hi Kim i was going to ask the same would this work with instant pot and if yes what settings works best
Barbara
I would like to use a crock pot liner when I make this. Any issues with using a liner ? The liner makes clean up so easy.
Jennifer Smith
Nope! I’m cooking it now with a liner!
mmhiott@presby.edu
Hello! Can this be made in a four quart pot successfully? I need a lot so I don't want to half the recipe but I don't want overflow either. Help!!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
That would be pretty tight. And it may not cook evenly if it's close to overflowing... 🙁
Elena Aitken
Can this be doubled simply by doubling the ingredients or are there other adjustments needed?
Diana
Hi! this looks so amazing!! I plan on cooking this for 4 hrs then it will go to low for 1-2 hrs. Do you think it will dry out that way? Also, Do you think this would be good to freeze afterwards?
Thanks!
Kodi
I have made this several times and love it. I plan to make it for a work pot luck tomorrow! Can you make ahead the night before, leave in fridge, then cook the next day?
vicky
hello brandie,
would you mind telling me your crockpot size?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hey Vicky! It's a 6-quart crock pot. That is my go-to size for pretty much everything. 🙂
Kadie
This looks great! I am going to try it this week. Do you have any tips for making a vegetarian version of this?
Heather naught
Could you make this in a instant pot? If so how would you adapt this recipe for a IP?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Heather! I'm sure you could but I just don't know how. I'm sorry! Perhaps someone on here will have a good suggestion for you! 🙂
Kimberly
I threw everything into my instant pot as is and just used my slow cooker option..hope all goes well!!
Phyllis
I just sent this recipe to my daughter who is in her junior year in college and now living off campus. Thanks
Kristin Enyinna
What's considered a serving size? One cup or 1/2 cups?
ange
I want to make this for my 96 yr. old Mom. She doesn't like sour cream, though. Is it a prominent flavor in this recipe? Can I leave it out or substitute something else? Sounds great to me, though.
Desiree
I am making this right now. It smells delicious! Cant wait to try it!????
Kim
Hi. Do you think frozen meatballs coukd work in place of the ground beef? Thank you!
Gab
Can you cook this on the warm sstting for 10 hours?
Ashley
I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to cooking pasta in the crockpot. This recipe looks so deliciously tempting! I want to bring it to a potluck. Do you think it will be alright on the warm setting for about an hour or so?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Ashley! Yes, you can! Mainly you don't want the pasta to turn to mush. So maybe undercook it by about an hour, then set it up on warm when you get there. Even the keep warm setting on newer crock pots can still cook the pasta while it is keeping warm. Hope that helps!
Amber
I really want to try this because it looks delicious, but I only have a 4 quart slow cooker:( Suggestions before I make a disaster?
Brandie
Although I have not made it in a smaller crock pot, you could probably 1/2 the ingredients. If you try it, please come back and let us know how it worked out for you.
Shiann
Hi I was wondering if I could cook this on high for 2 hours instead on low for four ?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Shiann - you sure could. Just keep an eye on it though. You'll want to stir it to make sure nothing burns on the bottom. Slow cookers these days run hot. 🙂
Megan
Can you make this with Italian sausage instead? Or half. Ground beef and half sausage?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Megan! Absolutely you could! 🙂
kathleen
I always make my spaghetti sauce with sweet Italian sausage (as opposed to hot) instead of ground beef and that makes awesome lasagna. When i make this dish i will definitely be using the sausage. The recipe sounds so easy and yummy.....
Samantha
Hi! I am wanting to make this for dinner tomorrow night and would have to start it at 5:15 am before I head to work. Unfortunately, I don't get home from work until 4:30 pm...is that too long to cook it??
Thank you!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Samantha! It probably would be - yes. I'm sorry! Unless you have a digital crockpot where you can set it to cook then it will automatically go to warm. That might work!
April Driggers
OOOOH be still my heart! This looks like slow cooker busy mama GOLD right here!
Kayla Bowen
I was wondering if you could use other kinds of pasta like, bowtie or penne pasta?
Brandie
You sure can!
Nichole
Am I able to use regular spaghetti?
Diana Greenawald
Brandy, I love, love your weekly planning menus. At 70, I am running short on enthusiasm and new ideas for meal planning, let alone cooking! I may not follow your menu plan for the week, but I just spent over half an hour reviewing your recipes. Your site is fantastic and I love being able to print the recipes and instructions easily. Everything I have tried so far has been delicious. GREAT JOB!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Diana! Thank you so much for reaching out! I love that you are totally open to trying new recipes and you like the ones I have on here. Always an honor to have an experienced cook say that. Thank you for being here!
Kris
Hi Brandie, I love this recipe I've made it a couple of times and it's awesome. I did do a little experimenting the last time. I'm on a really tight budget so instead of ricotta I used cottage cheese. I figured it worked for lasagna, it would probably work for this. I also added mushrooms and onions to the ground beef.. I have to say I liked the mushrooms and onions but I much prefer the ricotta cheese. Oh well that the fun of cooking isn't it? Thank you so much for all your awesome recipes.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Kris! Thanks so much for the feedback! Actually, ricotta is cheaper than cottage cheese. For example, at my Wal-Mart, the Great Value Ricotta is $1.77 and the Great Value Cottage Cheese is $2.48. Now, some folks prefer the taste of cottage cheese. I have a crock pot lasagna that I think it works really well in! I am all about saving money so I have no problem using store brands to save a few bucks! 🙂
Stacy
Made this for supper tonight. Outstanding!! My family loved it! So grateful for your recipes... easy to prepare, yet always delicious. Thanks!!
Brandie
Yay, so glad everyone loved it!!
Regina
This looks incredible. One question though, we are away from home for work at least 9 hours. Is this a recipe that can stand extra cooking, or should I cook it on low and have it go to the warming setting? I don't want it to dry out.
Sabre
Regina did you get an answer to this question? This is always my biggest concern with crockpot recipes... I'm usually away at work for 9-10 hours, so a 4 hour crock pot recipe worries me. I have a flex setting on my crock pot that I could cook on low and then it goes to warm, but 5 hours on warm sounds like it wouldn't be good by the time we got home to eat.
Linda
When a recipe calls for a shorter time than my typical work day, I make it on Saturday or Sunday.... I love having a great dinner waiting for me after running errands or going to church or Working in the yard!
Mr.K
You can always plug your crockpot into a electrical timer. Set your timer to turn on as you would your light if your not home, and your crockpot will not over cook
Brandie @ The Country Cook
That’s actually a really fantastic idea!
Melissa
Love the recipe!
Easy and delicious!
Linda Buchanan
It looks great. I don't like cooking but crockpot meals are so easy, it doesn't feel like cooking.
How many servings?
Thanks.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Linda! This makes about 8-10 servings (perhaps more depending on how large the servings are) 🙂
Eileen Kinney
Sounds great! Since I am only one person I will cut recipe in half.
MariaV
Your pasta recipe looks awesome! I also luv.???? pasta anytime! I'm wondering if it can be prepared on the stove top or oven and would I need to adjust any of the amounts of ingredients?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Maria! You could definitely make this in the oven. You will need to cook the pasta first and also remove the additional water that I added to make this a crockpot recipe. Layer ingredients into a 9x13 baking dish. Then cook uncovered in a 350f degree oven for 40 mins. Add mozzarella to the top and put back in the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes. Hope that helps!
Jasmin
Thank you so much! I wanted to make it tonight but my boyfriend doesn’t have a crockpot. I’m excited!
Lisa
Hi Brandie!
I was wondering if you have adapted for Instant Pot?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Lisa, no I sure haven't. Sorry!
Brenda Blanchard
Did you precook the pasta?
Brandie
Add uncooked pasta!