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–+ servings
Million Dollar Pasta

Creamy Million Dollar Pasta: Your New Go-To Comfort Food

Experience the rich blend of creamy cheeses and savory marinara in this Million Dollar Pasta, your perfect weeknight comfort food.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 portions
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta Base
  • 1 pound Lean Ground Beef can substitute with ground turkey
  • 12 ounces Bowtie Pasta can substitute with penne or rotini
For the Creamy Sauce
  • 8 ounces Cream Cheese or Neufchâtel cheese
  • 1 cup Sour Cream or Greek yogurt
  • 15 ounces Ricotta Cheese or blended cottage cheese
Seasonings for Flavor
  • 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning or fresh herbs if available
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder substitute with fresh garlic if preferred
For the Marinara
  • 24 ounces Marinara Sauce high-quality jarred or homemade
  • 1 cup Water can substitute with broth
For the Cheesy Topping
  • 2 cups Shredded Mozzarella or other melting cheese

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Skillet
  • Mixing bowl

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions
  1. Brown the ground beef over medium heat in a large skillet until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat and season with salt and pepper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta cheese. Add Italian seasoning and garlic powder; blend until smooth.
  3. Layer ingredients in the slow cooker, starting with half of the marinara sauce, followed by half of the uncooked pasta, more marinara, and half of the water.
  4. Add half of the cooked beef and top with the cheese mixture, spreading evenly.
  5. Repeat the layering with the remaining pasta, marinara, beef, and the rest of the water.
  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for about 2.5 hours, checking pasta tenderness.
  7. Sprinkle mozzarella on top, cover, and let melt for 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portionCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 25gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 700mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 250mgIron: 3mg

Notes

For best results, taste the pasta around the 2.5-hour mark for doneness and consider adding your favorite veggies to customize.

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