Rotini catches the meat sauce in its spirals, while penne holds some inside each tube. Either works well for a dinner you can scoop straight from the crock.
What You’ll Need
- Ground beef. Brown 1 pound in a skillet, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain off excess grease before adding the beef to the slow cooker.
- Pasta sauce. Use one 24-ounce jar of marinara or your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce. A thicker sauce may need more water to keep the pasta mostly submerged.
- Dry pasta. Use 8 ounces of rotini or penne. Measure out half the package if you’re starting with a 1-pound box.
How to Make Slow Cooker Pasta Fairchild
Stir the browned beef, pasta sauce, and dry pasta together in the slow cooker. Add water a little at a time, using up to 2½ cups as needed, until the pasta is mostly submerged.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours. Start checking at 2 hours, since the pasta can soften quickly toward the end. Once it’s tender and the sauce clings to it, give everything a final stir and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I boil the pasta first?
Add it dry. It softens as it absorbs liquid from the sauce, so make sure most of the pieces are below the surface when you start cooking.
What if the sauce gets thick before the pasta is tender?
Stir in a splash of hot water, cover again, and continue cooking. Check the pasta again after a few minutes so it keeps its shape.
What to Serve with Pasta Fairchild
A green salad with vinaigrette or a side of steamed broccoli goes well with the rich meat sauce. Serve with garlic bread if you’d like something to scoop up the extra sauce.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Pasta Fairchild Recipe Card
Tender rotini or penne cooked in tomato sauce with browned ground beef.
- Prep time — About 15 minutes, including browning the beef
- Slow cooker time — 2 to 3 hours on LOW
- Servings — 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 jar (24 ounces) pasta sauce
- 8 ounces uncooked rotini or penne
- Up to 2½ cups water, as needed for cooking
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles, until fully cooked to 160°F (71°C). Drain off excess grease.
- Add the cooked beef, pasta sauce, and dry pasta to the slow cooker. Stir to coat, then add water a little at a time, using up to 2½ cups as needed, until the pasta is mostly submerged.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours. If your slow cooker runs hot, stir once or twice during cooking. Begin checking at 2 hours and cook until the pasta is tender and most of the added liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir once more and serve hot.