Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb box of Penne or Rigatoni ($1.00)
- 24 oz jar of Marinara Sauce ($1.50)
- 2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth ($1.00)
- 8 oz block of Cream Cheese, cubed ($2.00)
- 1 lb Ground Sausage or Ground Beef ($4.00)
- 1 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder ($0.10)
- Salt and Pepper to taste ($0.05)
Instructions
- Place your ground meat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Break it apart with a spatula and cook until it is no longer pink. Drain the excess grease thoroughly. While some “dump” recipes call for raw meat in the slow cooker, browning it first adds a much deeper flavor and a better texture for this specific budget dish.
- Transfer the browned meat into the slow cooker. Add the jar of marinara sauce, the broth, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir everything together until the spices are well-distributed. Place the cubed cream cheese on top of the liquid. Do not stir the cream cheese in yet; let it sit on top so it softens perfectly during the cooking process.
- Cover the crockpot with the lid. Set the temperature to LOW and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours. You want the sauce to be hot and the cream cheese to be completely soft. Avoid using the HIGH setting if possible, as dairy-based sauces can sometimes break or curdle under high heat.
- While the sauce finishes, boil your pasta on the stovetop according to the package directions but stop 2 minutes before the “al dente” time. Drain the pasta and add it directly into the slow cooker. Whisk the softened cream cheese into the red sauce until it is smooth and creamy. Toss the pasta to coat. Cover and let it sit in the crockpot for another 10-15 minutes so the noodles soak up the delicious sauce. Serve immediately.
- Cook Time: 3 hours 10 minutes