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.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
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.
Enjoy!
Originally published: October 2016
Updated & republished: June 2019
CROCK POT MILLION DOLLAR PASTA
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp 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
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Kodi says
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?
Diana says
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!
Elena Aitken says
Can this be doubled simply by doubling the ingredients or are there other adjustments needed?
[email protected] says
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 says
That would be pretty tight. And it may not cook evenly if it’s close to overflowing… 🙁
Barbara says
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 says
Nope! I’m cooking it now with a liner!
Kim says
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 says
Hi Kim i was going to ask the same would this work with instant pot and if yes what settings works best
Britney says
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 says
Hi Britney – yes, I would think so! 🙂
Jessica says
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 says
Hi Jessica! You sure could! Cook the pasta and brown the ground beef and don’t add the water. 🙂
Heather M says
We don’t eat red meat. Was wondering if ground turkey instead.
Sarah says
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 says
Hi Sarah, I haven’t tried it but it should work. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Rake says
It’s very good!! I recommend trying it, i used italin sausage and onion too
Brandie @ The Country Cook says
Thank you Rake!! So happy you loved it with the Italian sausage too! 🙂
Dawn says
Do you have to use cavatappi or can you use any kind of noodles??
Brandie @ The Country Cook says
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.:)
Jamie says
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 says
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 says
Hey there making this tonight! Would halfing the recipe work? Will it affect anything?
Brandie @ The Country Cook says
Shouldn’t be a problem! Just keep an eye on the cooking time. Hope you love it!
Kathy says
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 says
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!
Donesha says
If I cut this recipe in half, how long should I cook it instead?
Brandie @ The Country Cook says
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.
Allison says
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!
Robert Peterson says
When you say jar how many ounces is a jar?