This slow cooker ground beef and pasta is a hearty comfort food that our family loves to eat. A budget-friendly version of beef stroganoff.
Brown the beef and add to a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients after the beef is browned and add the pasta and vegetables in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Or, if you will be nearby, you can add the ground beef frozen and break apart after every 30 minutes of cooking before the rest of the ingredients are added. (Increase the cooking time to accommodate cooking the frozen meat).
Ground Beef and Pasta Meal
Having simple recipes to feed the family when we want a lazy day at home or have a busy day during the week helps the day go so much better.
One of the First Slow Cooker Recipes
When I was first married, this was one of the very first meals I made in our new slow cooker. Even though I helped my mom in the kitchen, and we have made plenty of meals together, I was a bit nervous making this on my own for the first time.
Well, my new husband and I enjoyed this ground beef recipe the first evening and a few meals after that. It was good and filling. Now whenever I make this, it reminds me of our wedding gifts from our family and friends. The slow cooker was one of them.
It is a wonderful meal to make on a cold winter’s night. Perfect for parties and other events where you need to feed a crowd.
Check the Pasta Near the End of the Cooking Time
When cooking pasta in a slow cooker, it can become mushy.
Therefore, use a hearty pasta in your slow cooker recipe. Check on your pasta after 30-45 mins before cooking time has ended to make sure the shells do not overcook and become mushy.
Stove Top Ground Beef and Pasta Recipe
If you would rather use a large skillet and make this on the stove top, it can be done in approximately 45 minutes.
Just brown the beef and add the other ingredients. Cover and let simmer until the pasta is done.
This meal can still be well-rounded by serving this with a side salad or some coleslaw.
Recipe options:
In the last 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking time in the slow cooker, you can also add some vegetables such as:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Green peppers
- Peas
- Green beans
Garnish with a bit of fresh parsley.
Slow Cooker Ground Beef and Pasta
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- 2 Tablespoons Minced Onions
- 16 Ounces Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 3 Cups Water can be half milk
- 12 Ounces Pasta
- 12 Ounces sliced Mushrooms
Instructions
- Add hamburger, water, and minced onions to the slow cooker and cook on low 2 hours. Occasionally breaking up the hamburger as it cooks. (In this recipe, the hamburger was put into the slow cooker frozen. If using fresh hamburger, the cooking time is only 1 hour on low).
- Add the cream of mushroom soup and water or milk and cook another 30 minutes on low.
- Add noodles with the additional water and cook another 30 minutes on low. This time mushrooms were added in the last 30 minutes too. You don’t have to, but you could certainly add any other vegetable to this in the last hour.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if you have any on hand.
