Description
This Crockpot Pizza Pasta is a delicious and family-friendly slow cooker meal packed with flavorful lean ground beef, tender rotini pasta, marinara sauce, and a blend of gooey mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Enhanced with turkey pepperoni and seasoned vegetables, this hands-off recipe makes an ideal easy dinner for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd, delivering all the comfort of pizza in a hearty pasta dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Cheese
- 1 pound lean ground beef (93% lean)
- 20 slices turkey pepperoni
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
Vegetables and Seasonings
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1/2 cup sliced black olives or mushrooms
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef: Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the ground beef, seasoning it with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Once browned, drain excess fat and set the beef aside.
- Combine ingredients in crockpot: In a 6-quart crockpot, add the cooked ground beef, marinara sauce, beef broth, finely chopped onion, diced green bell pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix everything thoroughly to combine flavors.
- Add pasta and pepperoni: Stir in the uncooked rotini pasta until it is evenly coated with the sauce mixture. Then, place half of the turkey pepperoni slices evenly on top.
- Cook slowly: Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Stir halfway through the cooking time to prevent sticking and check the pasta for doneness.
- Add cheese and remaining pepperoni: Once the pasta is tender, sprinkle shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Add the remaining turkey pepperoni slices. Cover again and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
Notes
- Use turkey pepperoni to keep the dish lighter and healthier.
- Stir the pasta halfway through cooking to prevent it from sticking to the crockpot.
- If the pasta absorbs too much liquid, add extra beef broth to maintain a saucy consistency.
- Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before serving to allow it to thicken up for better texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner, Pasta, Crockpot
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Crockpot Pizza Pasta, pizza crockpot recipes, slow cooker pasta bake, kid-friendly crockpot dinner
