If you’re craving a cozy, creamy, super comforting pasta dish that basically cooks itself, this is the one. Million Dollar Pasta is like your favorite baked ziti, but way easier. Everything goes into the slow cooker (yes, even the dry pasta!) and a few hours later, you’ve got a cheesy, bubbly, flavor-packed dinner that totally lives up to its name.
Tender pasta? Check. Creamy, garlicky cheese filling? Check. Gooey, melty mozzarella on top? Oh yeah. And the best part? It makes amazing leftovers, so you’ve got lunch handled, too.
What Makes It “Million Dollar”?
It’s all about that rich, creamy cheese layer hiding inside. A blend of ricotta (or cottage cheese), sour cream, cream cheese, garlic, and parsley gives this dish that luscious, indulgent texture, like something you’d expect at a fancy Italian restaurant but made right in your slow cooker.
Ingredient Tips
- Sauce: Rao’s Roasted Garlic is a personal fave, but it’s on the pricey side. Feel free to use any jarred marinara or spaghetti sauce you love, Walmart, Aldi, store-brand… it all works!
- Ricotta Substitute: Don’t have ricotta? No problem. Cottage cheese works great and is super budget-friendly. You won’t even taste the difference once it’s all melty and mixed together.
- Protein Options: Not feeling ground beef? Swap it for ground sausage, turkey, or skip it altogether for a meatless version that still delivers big flavor.
How to Make Crock Pot Million Dollar Pasta
Brown the Beef: Cook and crumble your ground beef in a skillet. Season with a little salt and pepper, then drain off the grease and set it aside.
Mix the Creamy Layer: In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta (or cottage cheese), minced garlic, and chopped parsley. Set aside, this layer is gonna be so good.
Layer It Up: Grab a 6-quart (or larger) oval slow cooker. Here’s how you’ll layer everything (don’t stir!):
Spread half a jar of spaghetti sauce on the bottom.
Add half the box of uncooked cavatappi pasta.
Pour the remaining jar of sauce over the noodles, plus half a jar of water.
Add half the ground beef, then dollop all of the cream cheese mixture over the top (spread it out as evenly as you can).
Add the rest of the pasta, top with the final jar of sauce, and another half jar of water.
Finish with the rest of the beef.
Let It Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for about 2 hours, or until the pasta is tender.
Add the Cheese (aka the best part): Once it’s cooked, give it all a gentle stir. Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded mozzarella over the top, cover again for a few minutes until it’s all melted and gooey.
Storage + Leftovers
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Just pop it in the microwave until hot. Pasta like this gets even better the next day!
So easy, so creamy, so ridiculously good, it’s no wonder this pasta is called “million dollar.” Whether you’re feeding the family or just stocking up on leftovers for the week, this one’s a keeper.
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Crock Pot Million Dollar Pasta: The Ultimate Dinner
If you’re craving a cozy, creamy, super comforting pasta dish that basically cooks itself, this is the one. Million Dollar Pasta is like your favorite baked ziti, but way easier. Everything goes into the slow cooker (yes, even the dry pasta!) and a few hours later, you’ve got a cheesy, bubbly, flavor-packed dinner that totally lives up to its name.
- Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 (24 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce, divided use
24 ounce jar water
16 ounce box cavatappi pasta
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Start by browning the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Season it with a little salt and pepper while it cooks. Once it’s fully cooked and crumbled, drain off any excess grease and set it aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta, minced garlic, and parsley until smooth and well combined. Set that creamy mixture aside, it’s about to take this pasta to the next level.
- Now, grab your slow cooker (you’ll want a 6-quart or larger oval one for this recipe). Pour in half a jar of spaghetti sauce and spread it out evenly on the bottom.
- Layer half the dry cavatappi pasta right over the sauce (no need to stir, just spread it out). Then pour the rest of the first jar of sauce over the pasta and add half a jar of water on top.
- Spoon half of your cooked ground beef over the sauce layer.
- Next, dollop the entire cream cheese mixture over the beef. Try to spread it out as evenly as you can, but don’t stir it in, just let it sit right on top.
- Layer the remaining uncooked pasta over the creamy layer. Pour the second full jar of spaghetti sauce on top of that, followed by another half jar of water. Then finish with the rest of the ground beef spread evenly over the top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for about 2 to 3 hours. Every slow cooker runs a little differently, so check at the 2-hour mark to see how the pasta is doing. Mine took about 3 hours total.
- Once the pasta is tender, give everything a gentle stir to combine the layers.
- Top with 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, cover again, and let it sit for a few more minutes until the cheese gets perfectly melted and gooey.
Sprinkle a little dried parsley on top if you want to add a pop of color—and then, dig in!
Notes
- Feel free to use as much or as little cheese as your heart desires, if two cups feels like a bit much, just scale it back to what works for you.
- Not a fan of ground beef? Swap it out for ground Italian sausage for a little extra flavor.
- When it comes to pasta, any corkscrew-style noodle will do! Cavatappi is great, but rotini or fusilli work just as well, use whatever you have on hand.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
