Crockpot Creamy Beef & Bowtie Past

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Moving from bite-sized taco cups back into a rich, slow-cooker comfort classic with Crockpot Creamy Beef & Bowtie Pasta is an absolute winner.

Farfalle (bowtie pasta) is a fantastic choice for a heavy cream sauce because those pinched centers and structural folds grab onto savory beef and melted cheese pockets like a dream. Letting the slow cooker do the heavy lifting means the meat gets deeply tender while the pasta absorbs all that rich flavor without requiring an extra pot on the stove.
Here is how to make an effortless, crowd-pleasing batch:

Slow-Cooker Creamy Beef & Bowtie Pasta

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Slow cook time: 4 to 5 hours on LOW
  • Servings: 6 to 8 hungry plates

Ingredients

  • The Beef & Aromatics:
    • 1.5 lbs ground beef (browned and drained first, so the sauce isn’t overly greasy)
    • 1 small yellow onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • The Sauce Base:
    • 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, cut into cubes
    • 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce or tomato-basil sauce
    • 1.5 cups low-sodium beef broth
    • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
    • 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • The Pasta & Cheese Finish:
    • 1 lb bowtie pasta (farfalle), uncooked
    • 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Brown the Beef:
    In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion until the meat is fully browned. Drain off any excess grease, toss in the minced garlic for the last minute, and transfer everything into your slow cooker.
  2. Build the Sauce:
    Pour in the marinara sauce and beef broth. Drop the cubed cream cheese right on top, and sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  3. Slow Cook the Base:
    Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours (or HIGH for 2 hours) so the flavors meld deeply together.
  4. Add the Bowties:
    Stir your uncooked bowtie pasta directly into the slow cooker sauce, pushing the noodles down so they are mostly submerged. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the bowties are tender and have soaked up the rich liquid.
  5. The Cheesy Finish:
    Turn off the slow cooker, stir in your shredded cheese until it melts smoothly into a velvety sauce, and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving so it thickens up to absolute perfection.
Instagram-worthy presentation aside, this is pure, low-effort comfort food that feeds an army.
Are you tossing this into the slow cooker for an easy weeknight dinner, or are you building out a massive comfort-food lineup for the week?

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