Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon no-salt added Italian seasoning
- 1 quart low sodium beef broth
- 24 oz good quality marinara sauce (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
To Add at the End
- 8 oz dry lasagna noodles (about 9 noodles), broken into pieces
- 16 oz reduced fat ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Brown the Meat: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart into small pieces. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes until browned and cooked through, stirring occasionally. Drain excess grease if desired.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Carefully move the cooked beef to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, beef broth, marinara sauce, and tomato paste. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Cook the Soup: Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 4-5 hours until the soup reaches a strong simmer, indicated by lots of bubbles around the edges. This step ensures noodles cook properly later.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: While the soup cooks, mix ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.
- Add Noodles: Once the soup is strongly simmering, turn slow cooker to high if not already. Break lasagna noodles into 4-5 pieces each and add to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Cook Noodles: Cover and cook on high for 15-30 minutes, checking noodles around 15 minutes. Add additional time in 5-minute increments until noodles reach desired tenderness, typically about 20 minutes.
- Finish the Soup: When noodles are cooked, stir in half of the ricotta mixture and the baby spinach. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and dollop with remaining ricotta mixture before serving.
Notes
- Use good quality marinara sauce for best flavor.
- Breaking lasagna noodles into smaller pieces helps them cook evenly in the slow cooker.
- Make sure the soup reaches a strong simmer before adding noodles to ensure they cook properly.
- Leftover soup keeps well and tastes great reheated.
- You can substitute baby spinach with other greens like kale or swiss chard if desired.
- Drain excess fat from browned beef for a leaner soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Low Fat
