Slow Cooker Beef Macaroni 6-Ingredient . Combine with dry elbow macaroni, ground beef, 4 ingredients, and place in slow cooker to have a tasty meal that I rely on planning my meals.
This slow cooker 6-ingredient beef and macaroni is the type of comfort food that I base my meal plan around on the weeknights. The first step is to simply place the bottom of the slow cooker with a layer of raw ground beef, then pour in the dry elbow macaroni, no browning, no boiling. The rest of the job is done by a plain tomato background, broth and a large handful of shredded cheese as you are busy on your day.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- Ground beef (80-90% lean), raw → 1 1/2 pounds
- Dry elbow macaroni → 2 cups (approximately 8 ounces)
- Pasta sauce or tomato basil marinara → 1 can (24-26 ounces)
- Water (or beef broth, but water is good also) → 2 cups
- Shredded cheddar cheese (or Colby Jack), and additional cheese to serve, should you desire → 1 cup
- Salt (kosher or to taste) → 1 teaspoon
Slow Cooker Beef Macaroni: Directions
- Spray the inside of a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker lightly with a nonstick cooking spray to aid in cleaning.
- Hack the raw beef meat into small, round pieces and pour it evenly and over at the base of the slow cooker. This assists it in roasting and blending with the pasta at a later stage.
- Sprinkle the dry elbow macaroni directly on top of the raw ground beef, and distribute it evenly. Do not mix; here you are to have the beef on the bottom, and dry pasta on the top.
- Whisk the pasta sauce, beef broth and kosher salt together in a medium bowl or large measuring cup until it has been well mixed. This sauce is what will not only cook the macaroni but soft poach the beef as well.
- Add the sauce-and-broth mixture gradually so that all the pasta is covered in any case. Gently press with the back of a spoon to submerge a dry pasta until it is more or less submerged in the layers, however, do not stir the layers vigorously.
- Whilst top, place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook either on HIGH 2-2 1/2 or on LOW 4-4 1/2. Halfway during the cooking period, carefully lift the lid and stir everything lightly though properly, to break up any remaining lumps of beef and ensure the macaroni is moving through the sauce. Put the lid back quickly and do not lose excessive heat.
- Once the macaroni is soft and the beef is cooked all the way, switch the slow cooker to WARM or OFF. Scatter shredded cheddar cheese on top and then fold it into the beef and the macaroni until it is melted and creamy. Add taste and season with a little more salt as required.
- Allow the mixture to rest, with its cover, between 5 and 10 minutes so that it becomes slightly thicker. The pasta will keep on absorbing some of the liquid and the sauce will become tight. Simply serve, fresh out of the slow cooker, and add additional cheese on the top, should you desire.
Variations & Tips
To make a bit lighter, one can use 90-93% lean ground beef and low-sodium broth, and add the salt at the final stage. In case you enjoy a warmer, near casserole, consistency, add half a cup of heavy cream or evaporated milk and the cheese at the final stage. In order to make it more flavored without extra ingredients, it is better to pick a hearty pasta sauce, something that is marked as tomato basil, roasted garlic, or herbed marinara will add even more flavor to the dish. The cheddar can be replaced with mozzarella or Italian blend too so that it has a more lasagna feel. To add additional vegetables, they can be added as frozen mixed vegetables or peas in 1 to 1 1/2 cups sprinkled over the top of the macaroni before adding the sauce mixture; they will cook with the rest. Should your slow cooker be a hot one and the pasta is cooking faster than expected then at the lower end of the time span you should look and see and add another splash of broth should it appear dry. Leftovers can be easily warmed by adding a spoonful of water or broth either to loosen the sauce then warmed in the stovetop or in the microwave.
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