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.
Other Great Crock Pot Italian Recipes
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
Nutrition
Originally Published December 5, 2013
Monica
I liked it. I had to cook it on high For 2-1/2-3 hours, as I started it too late in the day. I feel like it came out too dry. I did not use wheat penne, maybe the recipe calls for too much? If I make again I will try maybe a bit less pasta. I also tweaked the ingredients up a bit, I used cottage and added more mozzarella, and used half ground beef and half Italian sausage.
Dan Myers
Just made this, and after 5 hours on low, the noodles aren't even close to being cooked. Followed the recipe exactly. :(
Franc
Hi Dan,
Everyone at the church luncheon loved the Baked Ziti...even my picky husband. I would have preferred making the day of serving, but it worked out ok. I took it out of refrigerator a few hours prior to reheating, partially reheated and then finished it off plugged into the crock pot in the parish hall while we were at mass. I even had a request for the recipe.
Thank you for the recipe Dan.
Fran
Hello Dan,
The Baked Ziti is in the Crock as I write. I love the layering. I’m still questioning the dry pasta. Time will tell.
I am bring it to a church luncheon tomorrow. I’m wondering what is the best way to reheat it in the morning; we leave the house about 10 am?
Pending recipe rating for taste, but process was 5 stars.
Thanks for the recipe.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Fran,
Welcome to the blog.
The dry pasta works well if it is a standard quality brand. I have done it many times.
Reheating... I usually don't have much in the way of leftovers. But I would reheat like a casserole. Covered tight in a casserole dish in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes or a bit more until hot.
I would NOT reheat in the crock pot. They have been known to break when reheating things like this. I do cheat some with soup or chili but rarely.
Dan
Susan
This is my second time making crock pot ziti. This time I used half beef and half sweet Italian sausage. My family and friends loved this lasagney-ziti, cheesey and filling. Served 8 with a leftover serving for me! Wonderful, easy and fun to make. Add garlic bread and some salad: perfecto! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
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!