Description
Slow cooker beef pasta weaves Italian comfort with hearty American cuisine. Rich beef marinara sauce mingles with perfectly cooked pasta, creating a satisfying meal you’ll crave during chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb beef stew meat (bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- Fresh parsley (chopped, optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Nestle tender beef stew meat, diced onions, and minced garlic into the slow cooker, creating a flavorful base.
- Whisk cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, heavy cream, dried basil, and dried oregano in a separate bowl until smoothly integrated, then cascade this creamy mixture evenly over the meat.
- Cover and slow cook on low temperature for 6-8 hours, allowing meat to become fork-tender and develop rich, deep flavors.
- During the final 30 minutes of cooking, prepare pasta in boiling water until achieving perfect al dente consistency, then drain completely.
- Gently fold cooked pasta into the slow cooker, incorporating grated Parmesan cheese and seasoning with salt and pepper for balanced taste profile.
- Simmer the combined ingredients for an additional 10-15 minutes, enabling flavors to meld and sauce to thicken slightly.
- Optionally crown the dish with freshly chopped parsley for vibrant color and herbaceous aroma, then serve piping hot directly from the slow cooker.
Notes
- Choose tough, marbled beef cuts like chuck roast for maximum tenderness and rich flavor during slow cooking.
- Sear meat beforehand in hot skillet to develop deeper caramelized notes and enhance overall meat complexity.
- Replace heavy cream with Greek yogurt or half-and-half for lighter, lower-calorie alternative without compromising creamy texture.
- For gluten-sensitive diets, substitute regular pasta with chickpea, quinoa, or brown rice pasta varieties to maintain nutritional integrity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 560 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg