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Slow Cooker Ground Beef Casserole

A comforting and budget-friendly ground beef casserole perfect for weeknight dinners with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat Mixture
  • 1 lb Ground beef Use lean ground beef to reduce fat content.
  • 1 cup Diced onions
  • 1 cup Diced red peppers
Casserole Ingredients
  • 1 can Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup Tomato sauce
  • 1 cup Beef broth
  • 8 oz Cream cheese For added creaminess.
  • 2 cloves Minced garlic
  • 1 tsp Dried basil
  • 1 tsp Chili powder
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 cup Shredded cheese (divided) Use additional for topping.
  • to taste Salt and pepper Adjust for flavor.
Pasta
  • 1 cup Uncooked pasta Elbow macaroni or any small pasta.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with diced onions and red peppers until fully browned. Drain excess fat.
  2. In the slow cooker, mix together the browned beef mixture, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, cream cheese, minced garlic, dried basil, chili powder, paprika, and one cup of shredded cheese.
Cooking
  1. Cover the slow cooker and allow it to cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
  2. About 30 minutes before it's done, sprinkle the uncooked pasta on top and add the remaining cheese, then cover again.
Serving
  1. Once done, serve hot and garnish with fresh herbs or grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

To keep the casserole fresh, cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for longer storage. Reheat thoroughly to 165°F.