Equipment Needed
- 6-quart or larger slow cooker
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Ladle for serving
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I brown the ground beef. Now, I know some recipes say you can just dump it in raw, but I’ve tried this step both ways, and browning it first works so much better. It adds a deeper, richer flavor you just can’t get otherwise. In my large skillet over medium-high heat, I heat the olive oil and cook the beef with the diced onion, breaking it up with my spoon until it’s nicely browned and the onion is soft. In the last minute, I stir in the minced garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes until fragrant—that smell is my signal to move on.
I carefully transfer this savory mixture into the bowl of my slow cooker. To it, I pour in both jars of marinara, the beef broth, water, and tuck in the two bay leaves. I give everything a good stir, put the lid on, and set it to cook on LOW for 7 hours. This long, slow simmer is what lets all those flavors marry and become something greater than the sum of their parts. The waiting is the hardest part, as my kitchen slowly fills with the most tantalizing scent.
About 20-30 minutes before I’m ready to eat, I stir in the fresh cheese tortellini. This timing is crucial! If you add the pasta too early, it will turn to mush. I let it cook on HIGH for that final stretch, just until the tortellini are tender and floating to the top. Once they’re plump and perfect, I turn the slow cooker off.
Finally, for the finishing touches that bring it all together. I stir in the entire bag of fresh spinach—it wilts down in seconds from the residual heat. Then, I slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring gently. This is when the soup transforms from a great tomato broth to a creamy, dreamy masterpiece. I pull out the bay leaves, season with salt and plenty of black pepper to my taste, and it’s finally time to eat.(See the next page below to continue…)