Crockpot Baked Ziti

Table of Contents

1. CROCKPOT BAKED ZITI INGREDIENTS
2. HOW TO MAKE THIS CROCKPOT BAKED ZITI RECIPE
3. HOW TO SERVE
4. STORAGE
5. FAQ
6. More Recipes You'll Love
7. JUMP TO RECIPE

Crockpot baked ziti is a delicious, rich hearty pasta dish with an amazing cheese topping that is so easy to throw together. Loaded with tender noodles, ground beef, seasoning, sauce, and three kinds of cheese, this simple dinner requires little work thanks to your slow cooker!

For a few more crockpot meals try our crockpot meatloaf, crockpot crack chicken and crockpot chicken and gravy.

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MORE CROCKPOT RECIPES:
Crockpot Orange Chicken | Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops

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CROCKPOT BAKED ZITI INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 (24-ounce) jars of pasta sauce (or make your own homemade pasta sauce)
• 1 (16-ounce) box of baked ziti, uncooked
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided into 2 one-cup servings
• Chopped fresh parsley

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

MEAT: If you don’t want to use ground beef, you can switch it out for different meats such as Italian sausage for some spice. You could also use ground chicken or ground turkey or you can leave out the meat to have a delicious vegetarian dish.

MEATBALLS: If you’re leaving out the meat in the slow cooker, you could make our homemade meatballs to serve on the side for those that want them.

PASTA: You could use rotini or penne pasta in place of the ziti noodles for this recipe. You could also substitute gluten-free pasta for anyone with a sensitivity. Whole wheat pasta would also work fine in this easy slow cooker recipe.

SPICE: Add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes for some heat if you like things spicy.

VEGGIES: You could add mushrooms, squash, bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach to this easily.

SAUCE: Any type of tomato sauce would work well in this recipe. You can experiment with different options or make your own.

HOW TO MAKE THIS CROCKPOT BAKED ZITI RECIPE

STEP ONE: Brown ground beef in a large skillet with the onions over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. After cooked, drain meat if needed.

STEP TWO: Add in the garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper then stir it all together. Cook in the added ingredients for about 1 minute more, stirring it constantly.

STEP THREE: In the same pan, stir in 1 of the jars of pasta sauce into the ground beef mixture.

STEP FOUR: Using the remaining jar of pasta sauce, pour half a jar in the bottom of the slow cooker.

PRO TIP: Before adding anything into the slow cooker, spray it with cooking spray to make clean up easier or use a slow cooker liner.

STEP FIVE: Add half of the uncooked pasta on top of the pasta sauce.

STEP SIX: Pour half of the meat mixture on top of the uncooked ziti pasta.

STEP SEVEN: Top the meat mixture with ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

STEP EIGHT: Add the remaining half jar of pasta sauce on top of the cheeses.

STEP NINE: Add another layer of uncooked ziti pasta on top of the pasta sauce.

STEP TEN: Cover the uncooked ziti pasta with the remaining meat mixture.

STEP ELEVEN: Place the lid on the crockpot. Cook this on the low setting for 6 hours.

PRO TIP: You can also cook on high for three hours, but I think it tastes best on low for longer.

STEP TWELVE: The last 15 minutes before serving add the last 1 cup of mozzarella to the top. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and let the mozzarella cheese melt before serving.

STEP THIRTEEN: Serve and enjoy!

HOW TO SERVE

Serve this tasty pasta dish with a Caeser salad and cheesy pull-apart bread or garlic bread on the side and this meal will be a total winner. Sprinkle some extra parmesan or Reggiano cheese on top for an even more cheesy flavor.

STORAGE

IN THE FRIDGE: Refrigerate the cooled cheesy baked ziti in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. You can reheat it in the oven or microwave. Add a little water or milk when reheating if the pasta looks like it needs a bit of added moisture.

IN THE FREEZER: Cover cooled slow cooker ziti with a double layer of heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, toss it in the oven for about an hour.

In my opinion, crockpot baked ziti is just as good as the oven-baked ziti and the best part is that it takes much less preparation! I love making anything I can in my crockpot because I can throw it together with only a few minutes of prep time, set it, and go! It’s an easy dinner that the whole family will gobble up.

FAQ

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