Layered Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe
Enjoy cooking with Slow Cooker Baked Ziti, where pasta, meat, and cheese cook to perfection, offering a no-fuss, tasty meal.
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe
This innovative dish captures the essence of traditional baked ziti, with the added ease of crockpot cooking meaning you can enjoy the rich, tomatoey goodness of perfectly cooked pasta, combined with the savoury depth of ground meat and a melty cheese topping, all without turning on your oven. It’s a straightforward path to a satisfying meal that keeps cleanup to a minimum and deliciousness at a maximum.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey or Italian sausage)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 650 ml jar pasta sauce about 2 ½ cups
- 2 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
- 375-gram box of Penne or Ziti or other short pasta (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until browned. Stir in garlic and salt and cook for 1 minute. (OPTIONAL: you can also add the raw onion and spices right into the slow cooker to save on time)
- Add beef mixture, basil, parsley, tomatoes, pasta sauce, and water to a 4qt (or larger) slow cooker. Stir.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Turn the slow cooker to high. Add pasta and stir until combined. Cover and continue cooking for 15-30 minutes (depending on how hot your slow cooker is) — check and stir at the 15-minute mark.
- Sprinkle with cheese and cover for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Serving Suggestions
- Garlic Bread
- Caesar Salad
- Steamed Broccoli
- Roasted Vegetables
- Caprese Salad
Tips and Tricks
- Although the recipe uses penne, traditional ziti or any tubular pasta works well for this dish.
- Just ensure the pasta gets enough coverage by sauce to prevent drying out.
- To avoid pasta from clumping together, make sure to stir the pasta into the sauce evenly.
- Pasta in a slow cooker can overcook easily. Start checking the pasta about 15 minutes after adding it to assess doneness.
