Slow Cooker Beef and Macaroni

When it comes to family-friendly comfort food, the mere word ‘macaroni’ conjures bowls of cheese- and sauce-laden pasta eaten by the spoonful with guaranteed calls for “seconds, please!” This set-and-forget version will tempt even the fussiest of eaters.

How to make slow cooker beef and macaroni: key tips

As the macaroni is cooked and its starches have been released, it’s important to coat the pasta in a little oil so that it doesn’t all clump together in the slow cooker.

You may like to soften the onion and brown the mince in a frying pan before placing them in the slow cooker. This would decrease the pungency of the onion and caramelise the meat, increasing the overall flavour of the dish.

Keep an eye on the pasta – this isn’t a leave-it-for-the-day kind of slow cook. As the pasta is precooked, if you cook it for too long in the slow cooker it will become mushy. Test your pasta after an hour and, if it is tender yet still holding its shape, then your dish is probably done.

Key ingredients in this slow cooker beef and macaroni recipe

As there is a lot of cheese in this recipe, lean beef mince is a good idea (instead of regular mince), as it will keep the fat content in check. Regarding the cheese, any cheddar or tasty is just fine, full- or low- fat. 

Macaroni is the pasta of choice for this slow cook. It’s a short pasta that all the kids love and also is quite solid. You could also use penne or elbows, but I would steer clear of pastas, such as bow-ties or spirals, as they are a bit more delicate and might break up too much.

Your family will also love these easy peasy pasta bakes and, of course, a good spaghetti bolognese will always go down well.

This recipe was originally submitted by tee, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.