Fire up the crock pot for the best baked ziti you will ever eat. You may confuse it with great lasagna. With no precooking of the pasta, you will love this recipe.
Editor’s note: This is a re-edit and re-publish of an under-appreciated recipe from December 5, 2013. I have re-edited the photos, buffed up the writing.
This recipe was in my top 10 recipes of 2013. I have repeated it many times when I need a special casual family meal. You can not go wrong with this recipe. I guarantee it.
This one takes just a bit more work than my normal slow cooker recipe, but it is so worth it. You can have great Italian at home.
I rarely use the term “best” or anything similar. You will see me use easy, simple and other pronouns but I will use “best” here. I can not imagine any crock pot ziti being better than this.
As I read the crock pot recipes, I realized they were not that different than the oven recipes except may use uncooked pasta (probably a good idea or you might have mush) and usually had a bit more liquid to help cook the pasta.
So I modeled what I felt was the best, and that was a Pioneer Woman recipe for Baked Ziti. It was a bit more lasagna like with ricotta and parmesan cheese in addition to my normal mozzarella. I will never go back.
My Rating
Outrageously good.
Pro Tips: Notes about Crock Pot Baked Ziti
What is Baked Ziti?
Baked Ziti is basically some kind of tomato sauce usually with meat in my house, but you could skip the meat if you must. Add in some kind of cheese and pasta, and you have a classic Italian dish. There are variations, but that is basically it.
The Crock Pot
This is a cut-down recipe. I used my 3.5 qt crock pot, and this is “Cooking For Two” after all.
This filled the pot about 75%, and that is really the most you should do so do not use do in a smaller pot.
This would be great to double and would fit in a 6.5 qt but would be marginal in a six qt.
Ziti vs. Penne Noodles
Close but not the same. Ziti is a bit bigger and has straight cut ends. Penne is a little smaller with angle cut ends.
I have been berated for using penne instead of ziti. Yep, I do it all the time, and it doesn’t matter. Ziti pasta is harder to find for me, and I like smaller pasta. So use what you like.
Should I Cook the Pasta First?
No. It is cooked in the crock pot with the fluid from the sauce. I suggest using standard box pasta here since I know how it will cook in this sort of usage.
If you use non-standard pasta, the results may or may not be good.
Use the pasta you want. I happened to use Penne this time.
Start by place 1 pound of ground beef over medium-high heat to brown. Then chop one small onion and crush two cloves of garlic and add while the meat is browning. Cook until no longer pink. About 9-10 minutes.
Combine 1 cup (8oz) ricotta cheese with one egg white, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 t dry parsley, 1/2 t salt. Do not over mix.
Mix 1 – 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 1/2 t basil, one t salt, 1/2 t pepper. Mix. Now drain the meat of extra fat and combine to make the meat sauce. You can add 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper if you wish. It will not add much heat.
Give a 3.5 qt. slow cooker a good spray of PAM. See Notes about crock pot sizes. Now you get to layer the dish. Put about 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in first and spread to cover the bottom. Add 1 cup of uncooked ziti noodles or other pasta.
Now add half the ricotta mixture by placing spoonfuls on the pasta. Add 1/2 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of that.
Now time to repeat. Add 1 1/2 cup meat sauce. Add 1 cup ziti noodles. Add the rest of the ricotta and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Top with the rest of the sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
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The Best Crock Pot Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef - or Italian sausage
- 1 onion - small chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - crushed
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese - grated
- 1 1/2 tsp salt - divided
- 1/2 tsp dry parsley
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper - optional
- 2 cups dry ziti noodles
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese - shredded
Instructions
- Start by place 1 pound of ground beef over medium high heat to brown. Then chop one small onion and crush two cloves of garlic and add while the meat is browning. Cook until no longer pink. About 9-10 minutes.
- Combine 1 cup (8oz) ricotta cheese with one egg white, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon dry parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Do not over mix.
- Mix 1 – 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 1/2 teaspoon basil, one teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix. Now drain the meat of extra fat and combine to make the meat sauce.
- Give a small slow cooker a good spray of PAM. I used a 3.5 qt. See Notes about crockpot sizes.
- Now you get to layer the dish. Put about 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in first and spread to cover the bottom. Add 1 cup of uncooked ziti noodles or other pasta.
- Next, add half the ricotta mixture by placing spoonfuls on the pasta. Add 1/2 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of that.
- Now time to repeat. Add 1 1/2 cup meat sauce. Add 1 cup ziti noodles. Add the rest of the ricotta and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Top with the remainder of the sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Recipe Notes
Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.
Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.
Originally Published December 5, 2013
Related Posts:
Garry
Made this today. I liked it, wifey not so much. She said it lacked flavor and was dry. It was dry, to much penne, easily solved problem. Taste, I don’t know, she said she is adding some tom sauce with her next helping. I thought it was fine. She had radiation therapy about 2 years ago and since then it seems her taste buds are messed up. Like she absolutely cannot tolerate any spicy food even black pepper. This might account for taste.
DrDan
Hi Garry,
Welcome to the blog.
Sorry, it didn’t work that well for you. Increase the fluid with care or recipes like this can become “soup”. I have done this recipe at least 25 times with nothing I would call dryness. I’m suspecting pasta variation. Whole wheat paste could definately do it.
I’m not sure there is much to do about the effect of chemo/radiation on taste buds. Patient have told me about it and I believe it usually returns but not always. Since taste and smell are important drivers in nutition, you need to watch that.
Dan
Elizabeth
Dr. Dan, thanks so much for sharing your recipe! It sounds so good!! I can’t wait to fix it! It’s just the two of us here, but I don’t have a small crock-pot. If I doubled the recipe, do you think the leftovers could be frozen?
DrDan
Hi Elizabeth,
I do double this all the time since I use it for semi-formal. Like dinners before holidays with company.
I will freeze great and is good refrigerated for 3-4 days.
As written, I do think it needs the smaller crock pot. I would double if using a bigger crock pot.
I use my 3.5 qt pot over half the time. A great investment.
Dan
Amanda
I am making this for a Super Bowl party, and I will be pressed for time. Do you think I could prep (layer it in the stoneware crock) this ahead of time then slow cook it the next day? Do you think it will make the noodles too soggy?
DrDan
Hi Amanda,
Welcome to the blog.
It might be ok and might not. I wouldn’t do it. I would cook the meat and make the sauce then mix the cheese then refrigerate. Assembly is fairly quick.
Dan
Mike
Hi Dan,
I was looking for a lasagna recipe but this sounds even better (and easier). About midway through the instructions you mention cooking the pasta with juice from the chicken. If this isn’t a typo, I’m confused. I’ll be attempting this recipe regardless. Thanks for all the great meals!
DrDan
Hi Mike,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep, a typo. It must have been there there for years and has had 500,000 plus views and you are the first to see it. Fixed and thanks for the proof read.
I love this dish. It is very lasagna like but much easier.
Dan
Lishers
This is an edit to my above comment: I used rigatoni, not rotini. Sorry about that.
Lishers
I’ve made a lot of recipes I’ve found online, but I don’t think I’ve ever been as pleased with any of them as I was this. “Pleased” is actually quite an understatement. We were all fairly blown away, to be honest.
I was a little worried as I was layering everything, as the ratio of ingredients seemed strange to me. Then, prior to serving, I was sure to give my son the requisite “now, remember, this is kind of an experiment” qualifier, but it was completely unnecessary. Everything was DELICIOUS!
A couple of notes: I made this with Italian sausage in lieu of ground beef and would never have it any other way. I used rotini instead of ziti since I couldn’t find ziti. Finally: the pasta was a teensy bit mushy, but I don’t blame the recipe AT ALL. My crock pot tends to cook hot, and I know this from experience; BUT since this was my first time making this, I wanted to follow the instructions as closely as possible. Next time (okay, in three days), I’ll cut off cooking at about 3:30 or 3:40 (like I said, it was only a teensy bit).
Anyway, I SUPER HIGHLY RECOMMEND this recipe to anyone who may be on the fence about it. With Italian sausage.
DrDan
Hi Lishers,
Welcome to the blog.
This is one of my personal favorites and I really appreciate your comment. I cook this frequently as a double recipe and will usually use half Italian sausage and half burger.
I have used different pastas with this and a few seem to run a bit soft. The mass market standard pasta seems to do the best. A little odd.
Having said that, there is a lot of value in knowing your pot and that hot pot could make the pasta a bit mussy.
Thanks again for the note.
Dan
Beverly Barndt
Hello Rockstar,
Made this today and it was DELISH! Again are you happily married? LOL
I just love everything about this site!!! It has been a great help to me! Thanks for your time!
Adam
Hey I was just wondering why the egg white and not the whole egg like some of the other recipes I’ve seen?
DrDan
Hi Adam,
Welcome to the blog.
Generally I model a recipe after 3-4 others then add my touches. The egg is generally in a ratio of 1 egg to 16 oz of ricotta cheese. That is also true in most lasagna recipes. It is added to firm up the texture some with the protein. So this is a “for two” recipes and only needed 8 oz of the ricotta cheese so half an egg. The white is the most important part for the texture. A whole egg might make the cheese more “soupy”.
Sometimes I would use whites over whole eggs to decrease the fat but this is not a low fat recipe so 5 gms of fat doesn’t really matter.
Dan
Chelsea
This looks good. Do you think I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta? Also can I use a jar of sauce instead of the crushed tomatoes? Obviously it won’t be as fresh but it’s easier sometimes.
DrDan
Hi Chelsea,
The crushed tomatoes are canned also. Sauce would be ok but more watery.
Cottage cheese: My mother used it. It is not preferred and will be different but ok. I prefer ricotta by far.
Dan
Rebecca
This looks sooo good. Quick question. Will it hold up well if it cooks on low for 4-5 hours and then sets on warm for another three? I’m worried about it becoming dry and/or burned before I can get home.
DrDan
I suspect it will be mush with the pasta overcooked.
Dan
Burgandy
Hello looking to try this recipe for me and my boyfriend my crockpot has a “keep warm” setting to keep contents at warm temperature once finished. Would this effect my pasta? Will I run into the noodle mush problem?
DrDan
No but maybe. I have done this and other pasta containing crockpot recipes that ended up on keep warm for a while. My general feeling is that cooking continues but only a little. So my feeling is an hour or so on keep warm is ok but if you are going past that, it may overcook some and could affect texture. I definitely would not be doing 3-4 hours on warm.
Patty
Can I double the ricotta or would it effect the moisture level too much? Many thanks! I love this site!
DrDan
Hi Patty, This recipe runs a little dry. I make it that way to avoid the “ziti soup” trap. I believe it would be fine.
Dan
Crystal Ellis
I tried this recipe and it was absolutely amazing. I was wondering can i cook this for 2 hours on the high setting instead of 4 hours on the low setting? Would it make a difference?
DrDan
Hi Crystal,
I have not tried 2 hours on high although I believe it would work. My only question is the pasta. Using uncooked pasta in crockpot recipes can get a little tricky. If you try, please post and let us know.
I do love this recipe.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Lori
Made this last week. Very flavorful and really easy. I added just a tad more pasta than called for… My mistake, as it turned out just a little dry. (What was I even thinking?) :) But that’s a mistake that can and will be remedied next time. The whole family enjoyed it so there will be a next time! By the way, this made plenty enough to feed a family of 4 and even had enough for leftovers!
Peter Beckles
What is ziti? The pasta illustrated is penne, isn’t it?
DrDan
Ziti pasta is cut straight across on the end and is slightly bigger than penne. My local store doesn’t even carry Ziti. I use them interchangeably.
Dan
Nancy
This looks right up our alley. Definitely putting this in my summer rotation when we want a hot meal but don’t want to heat up the kitchen.
Ron
You’ve made me hungry looking at this baked pasta recipe. Nothing better than a pasta bake on any evening. Thanks for reposting this.
Minka
Hi, this is a good crock pot recipe! Easy and tasty! Today is my second go round with it and I intend to put in my regular rotation. Just a quick question. My egg yolk slipped out of the shell and I couldn’t get it all out. I don’t think that it will change the taste but concerned that it will cause sickness since it is in a slow cooker! Will we be able to eat this even half of an egg yolk?
Thanks
Minka
DrDan
No problem what so ever. As I scaled this recipe down, I really only needed half of an egg so I kept the white and tossed the yoke. If you double the recipe just use the whole egg.
DrDan
Cathie Horne
Just made this and it was yummy. Was worried about the pasta cooking but it was perfect after 4 hours.
Love your site, the recipes and your rants!
Jessica
When I normally make baked ziti, instead of Ricotta, I use sour cream (husband hates ricotta – which I don’t get but that’s another story). Do you think it would make a difference substituting out the ricotta for sour cream in the slow cooker recipe? This looks amazing and would be such an easier clean up.
DrDan
Hummm…. that seems a little southwestern to me. My major worry would be cooking sour cream that long in a crock pot. I generally will add things like sour cream near or at the end of cooking. I’m sure I have recipes with it earlier but I worry about it not handling prolonged cooking well. If you try it, comeback and post your results please.
DrDan
Robin Klien
Very nice recipe. I tried it and for a change got it right in my first attempt. I also appreciate the way you have answered different comments. These clarifications also helped the understanding. Thanks for your valuable post and valuable time as well.
Shannon Jaskiewicz
I CANNOT WAIT to try this! I’ve both bookmarked this recipe AND funneled it into a document to save on my hard drive in the event my bookmarks get blasted.
I PARTICULARLY appreciate the thorough documentation, replete with pictures.
I DO have 1 question/clarification before attempting this: i see that the noodles are uncooked, but are they rinsed? Some recipes I’ve seen call for rinsing the noodles in a colander prior to layering in the crockpot. Do you do this, or do you just layer them straight away?
DrDan
I see no reason for a rinse in this recipe. I have enough moisture so they don’t stick. If a recipe is marginal on fluid and the pasta is dusty with flour, they could stick together some. A rinse would never hurt but not needed.
DrDan
alease
I made this today it was sooooo good
DrDan
Thanks so much for the comment and the rating.
DrDan
Nicole
This is so good. I did add a little spices to the tomatoes and tomato paste but it turned out amazing. Will recommend to everyone!
DrDan
Thanks for the comment and rating. I have made this twice in the last few weeks.
DrDan
Juanita
ABSOLUTELY DELISH!!!!! I just made this recipe for my boyfriend and two young kids, and it was a big hit! Instead of risotto cheese (because i didnt have any lol), I used a mixture of tofu with a little salt, olive oil, and nutmeg. I also used pasta sauce instead of just tomatoes, and added water and seasonings. It turned out fabulous!!!! This is a recipe I will definitely keep in my back pocket for future use!
Thanks for such a wonderful site and yummy food ideas!!!
DrDan
Thanks so much for the note and rating.
This is one of my all time favorites and probably #1 on the under-appreciated list. I think I will do this tomorrow again.
DrDan
Dea Varner
WOW!!!!!.. was this ever good!!! I usually make a baked Mostacelli dish that my husband loves but this is now his favorite!!.. he likes that it’s not so “heavy”.. he’s been trying to eat healthier and loves that this has a fresh taste to it because it uses canned tomatoes rather than a heavier pasta sauce with tons of added who-knows-what! I like that I can make it, throw it in the crock pot and forget about it for 4 or 5 hours and it doesn’t heat the kitchen up! Definitely a keeper for us.. I’d give it the highest rating possible!!!! Thank you for another awesome recipe to add to our repertoire!!!
DrDan
Thanks for the rating and comment. I found this recipe just outrageously good. I thought it would be good… just not this good. I think I will convert more recipes to crock pots.
Dan
Anne Marie
Also, this made much more than for two for us! I fed our family of four twice!
DrDan
Thanks for the notes. About the dryness. Different pastas can take a different amount of fluid and I made it a little dry to begin with to not make ziti soup which I thought was a real danger here. And it makes 4 large servings… maybe I should have said 6 or 8.
Again thanks for the comments.
DrDan
Anne Marie
I made this and the family loved it. I thought it turned out a bit dry, but I’m thinking it was because we always use 100% whole wheat pasta. I am going to experiment with adding some water to the recipe.
Glenn
Doubling the recipe and making for dinner tonight in my 8 qt. slow cooker. Eagerly anticipating!
DrDan
This one should double well. I have not since I don’t need that much food.
Let us know how it goes.
DrDan
Leslie A.
I am so glad I finally found a recipe site geared for two. I plan on making this for my husbands birthday. Can I make this with gluten free pasta?
DrDan
No clue on the gluten free pasta. I have not had great luck with recipes that use uncooked pasta that is not standard pasta. Give it a try but I would do a test cooking or have a backup plan. I’m afraid it would turn to mush.
Good Luck with it…
DrDan
Mary
Just had this for dinner. Everyone REALLY liked it! I made it with Italian sausage, my husband’s favorite.
Judy U.
Looks good! I will have to try, I always worry about mushy noodles in the crockpot.
DrDan
No mushy here. If done with precooked pasta, I’m sure it would be…