How to make cheeseburger mac & cheese in a slow cooker

John Jasins

Contributing Writer

Talk about comfort food! This is a perfect rainy day treat. Pasta, cheese and ground beef...who could ask for more? I can just see myself eating a big bowl of this while sitting in front of the TV, watching my favorite movie on a cold rainy weekend. This dish makes for a great weekend dinner or after school snack. Your kids will be begging you to make this warm and cheesy pasta dish!

OK, now that I have made myself hungry...I recommend using lean ground beef. Typically 90/10 or leaner will do. Too much fat and your cheese will separate and you could end up with a greasy mess, and no one needs that. The tomatoes contain liquid, which combined with the cornstarch will help thicken up your sauce as well as reduce any greasiness. After cooking add in the best part...the cheese! You will need to cook off your pasta separately and then at the end stir it all together for one delicious concoction of hearty ground beef, creamy cheese and wholesome pasta! Yep. I'm making this tonight.

See below for full recipe.

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Slow Cooker Cheesy hamburger and bow ties

10 minutes

8 hours

8 hours 10 minutes

2 pounds lean ground beef (90/10 or leaner)

1 cup small diced yellow onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups canned diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cream cheese

16 ounces dry bow tie pasta

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley (optional)

In a 6 quart slow cooker add in all ingredients from ground beef to cornstarch. Mix well so that everything is fully incorporated. Cook on high for 4 hours.

Add in cheddar and cream cheese. Mix well until melted and fully incorporated. Allow to sit on low while you cook pasta.

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Stir into slow cooker. If sauce is too thick, stir in a few tablespoons of hot pasta water to loosen it up to desired consistency.

Garnish with parsley and serve

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