Go Back

Loaded Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Pasta

Loaded slow cooker beef enchilada pasta is a hands-off dinner where seasoned ground beef, enchilada sauce, and uncooked rotini simmer together in the crockpot until tender. Finished with melted Mexican blend cheese, it delivers enchilada flavors without rolling tortillas.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.75 tsp kosher salt
  • 12 oz rotini pasta uncooked
Cheesy finish
  • 2 cup Mexican blend cheese shredded
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped, for serving
  • 0.5 cup sour cream for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the beef and onion
  1. Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat for 6–7 minutes, breaking the beef apart as it cooks.
Slow cook the pasta
  1. Transfer the beef mixture to the crockpot along with the enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, cumin, and salt.
  2. Stir in the uncooked pasta, making sure it's mostly submerged in liquid.
  3. Cover and cook on high for 2–2.5 hours, or on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
Melt and serve
  1. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and cover for 5 minutes, until melted.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with sour cream.

Notes

For best texture, keep the pasta mostly submerged after you stir it in—add an extra splash of beef broth only if the liquid level looks low. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not ideal because pasta can soften further, but you can freeze if needed and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese and reduced-fat sour cream.