Perfect! Slow cooker baked ziti is a comforting, cheesy, and hands-off meal. Here’s a detailed recipe for you:
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Servings: 6–8
Cook Time: 3–4 hours on HIGH or 6–7 hours on LOW
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ziti pasta (uncooked)
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, Italian sausage, or a mix
- 3 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup water or beef/chicken broth
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the meat
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef/sausage until browned.
- Add chopped onion and garlic; cook 2–3 minutes until softened.
- Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Prepare the slow cooker
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the uncooked ziti pasta.
- Layer ingredients
- Pour cooked meat mixture over the pasta.
- Pour marinara sauce and water/broth on top.
- Dollop ricotta cheese evenly over the top.
- Cook
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours, or LOW for 6–7 hours.
- Stir gently halfway through cooking if possible.
- Add cheese
- 15–20 minutes before serving, sprinkle shredded mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
- Cover and let cheese melt.
- Serve
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
- Serve hot with garlic bread or a side salad.
💡 Tips:
- If your slow cooker runs hot, check pasta after 3 hours on HIGH to avoid overcooking.
- You can make it vegetarian by skipping the meat and adding mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day!
If you want, I can also give you a faster “one-pot” version where the pasta cooks perfectly without pre-browning the meat—super easy for weeknights.
Do you want me to do that?
