Slow Cooker Beef and Cheese

By Betty2534

Ingredients

• 2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 15 oz. marinara/tomato pasta sauce
• 15 oz. stewed/canned tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (substitute with a pinch each of celery salt and thyme)
• Red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 2 tablespoons sugar (less if your tomatoes are naturally sweet)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 10 oz. frozen spinach
• 1 lb. penne/rigatoni/bow tie pasta, cooked al dente
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preparation

Step 1

1. Brown the beef in a skillet and drain the fat before removing the meat and sautéing the onions and garlic until softened but not colored. Then transfer the onions and beef to your slow cooker, and add the marinara sauce, tomatoes, herbs, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, crumbled beef bouillon cubes and sugar.
2. Stir everything together until combined and season with salt and pepper before cooking on low for 6 - 8 hours.
3. Once the cooking time is up, add the cooked pasta and cheeses, then stir gently to combine and cook for a further 30 minutes on high, finally stirring through the frozen or raw spinach leaves before serving.