Fire up the crock pot for some of 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.
Introduction
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 a great relatively easy dinner without spending the day in the kitchen.
This 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 they 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.
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 Pasta
Cooking pasta in a crock pot can be a bit tricky. Crock pots vary in their temperature curve, and the other ingredients can affect the cooking.
But perhaps the most important variable is the pasta itself. I suggest using a similar pasta each time to learn how it will cook by this method.
Smaller pasta will tend to cook faster. The recommended cooking time for the pasta you are using will give you a clue. The penne pasta I usually use has a suggested cooking time of 12-14 minutes.
Pasta with very short cooking times will not be a good choice and I doubt whole wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta will be a good choice.
So like most recipes, a test cooking before important meals is always in order.
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.
🐄The Meat
If you want, leave the meat out. But, in our home, ziti always has meat. It may be burger, Italian sausage, or chicken. But we always do meat.
Ground meat, like hamburger or sausage, must be browned before adding to a crock pot recipe. If uncooked, you will have a clumpy mess. So a nice browning and drain. I take the opportunity to precook the onion here also.
♨️The Crock Pot
The recipe, as written, is a cut-down recipe already. I used my 3.5 qt crock pot, which is "Cooking For Two," after all. This filled the pot about 75%, which is really about the most you should do, so do not use it in a smaller pot.
This would be great to double and would just fit in a 6.5 qt crock pot, but bigger would be better.
Low vs. High
I recommend cooking on low for this recipe. Less likely to overcook your pasta. On low, generally right at 4 ½ hours generally. Plus, use a 4-5 hour range, but always check the pasta at about 3 hours.
If you want to cook on high, generally it will be 2 to 2 ½ hours. And check the pasta at 1 ½ hours, please.
🇮🇹Crock Pot Italian Recipes
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Use the pasta you want. I happened to use Penne this time. Please see the discussion about selecting your pasta above.
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 (8 oz.) ricotta cheese with one egg white, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon dry parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt—do not over mix.
To a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 ½ teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper—mix well.
Drain the meat of extra fat and combine to make the meat sauce. You can add ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper if you wish. It will not add much heat.
Give a 3.5 qt. or larger slow cooker a good spray of PAM. See Notes about crock pot sizes. Now you get to layer the dish. Put about 1 ½ 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 ½ cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of that.
Repeat the lay. Add 1 ½ cup meat sauce. Add 1 cup ziti noodles. Then add the rest of the ricotta and ½ cup mozzarella. Top with the rest of the sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours. But check the pasta one hour early and closer to the end. End cooking early if needed to prevent overcooking.
📖Recipe
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
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese - grated
- 1 ½ tsp salt - divided
- ½ tsp dry parsley
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ 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, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon dry parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt—do not over mix.
- To a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 ½ teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper—mix well.
- Drain the meat of extra fat and combine to make the meat sauce. You can add ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper if you wish. It will not add much heat.
- Give a 3.5 qt. or larger slow cooker a good spray of PAM. Now you get to layer the dish. Put about 1 ½ 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 ½ cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of that.
- Repeat the lay. Add 1 ½ cup meat sauce. Add 1 cup ziti noodles. Then add the rest of the ricotta and ½ cup mozzarella. Top with the rest of the sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours. But check the pasta one hour early and closser to the end. End cooking early of needed to prevent overcook.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This will fit in a 3 ½ quart crock pot but not smaller. A double needs 6 ½ quart or larger.
- The pasta goes in uncooked so the chose of pasta is important. Longer discussion within the post. I suggest a standard penne. I doubt very small pasta, whole wheat, or gluten-free would be a good choice.
- There are variables like the crock pot and the other ingredients. But the biggest variable is the pasta. So check the pasta several times before you think it is done.
- DO NOT SKIP CHECKING THE PASTA early, part way through the cooking and closer to the end. Many pastas will go from under cooked to overcooked rapidly.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's note: Originally published December 5, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
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!
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!