Slow Cooker Mince Pasta Bake
Let me introduce to you one of the best, most delicious, hidden veggie loaded, mince pasta bake recipes. Loaded with seasonal vegetables, minced beef, pasta, and plenty of cheese this is a weeknight meal come true in the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Mince Pasta Bake
Servings: 4
Calories: 815kcal
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Hand Blender
Ingredients
Minced Beef Pasta Bake Ingredients:
- 1 Small Brown Onion
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 450 g /1lb Pasta
- 450 g /1lb Minced/Ground Beef 5% works best
- 115 g /4oz Cream Cheese
- 55 g /2oz Grated Cheddar Cheese
- Fresh Basil optional
Hidden Veggie Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 Celery Stick
- 1 Small Courgette/Zucchini
- 1 Medium Parsnip
- 4 Medium Tomatoes
- 1 400g/14oz Can Tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Puree/Paste
- 1 Tbsp Thyme
- 1 Tbsp Basil
- 1 Tbsp Parsley
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Prep your vegetables. Peel, dice and clean them.
- Peel and slice an onion and sauté in the slow cooker with extra virgin olive oil. Cancel sauté and then stir your vegetables in the onion and oil. Add tinned tomatoes and cook for 3 hours on high in the slow cooker.
- When it is done, blend the hidden veggies with the seasoning and garlic, and add more tinned tomatoes if needed.
- Remove half the sauce from the slow cooker and nix with the mince. This is your slow cookers bottom layer.
- Then add a layer of pasta. Followed by a layer of sauce. Finally add an extra layer of mince mixed with sauce. Then add your soft cheese on top.
- Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook for 2 hours on high. After two hours stir, add grated cheese on top and some fresh basil. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes for the cheese to melt or put back on low for 20 minutes and then serve.
Notes
Layers. Its important that you follow the layers instructions above as it stops the pasta from going dry and allows for an even cook. You can keep it as layers when done and it will be similar to lasagne.
Skip. If using a jar of tomato sauce and not making a hidden veggies sauce, then you can skip straight to step #4.
Nutrition
Calories: 815kcal | Carbohydrates: 113g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 1222mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1783IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 5mg
