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Home » Crock Pot Recipes » Easy Cheesy Crock Pot Baked Ziti

Easy Cheesy Crock Pot Baked Ziti

Published: Aug 31, 2018 · Modified: Mar 4, 2021 by Arlene Mobley · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Crock Pot Baked Ziti

This week's Crock Pot Baked Ziti recipe is my first crock pot recipe made with uncooked pasta in a slow cooker. This easy slow cooker baked ziti recipe is a great family recipe.

Crock Pot Baked Ziti recipe made with uncooked pasta in the slow cooker

 

Traditional Baked Ziti is one of our favorite family meals. Baked Ziti is one of the few recipes that everyone in my family really loves.

I know when I make Baked Ziti I am not going to hear any complaints when I get asked what's for dinner.

I'm enjoying converting some of my favorite family recipes to crock pot recipes.

Baked Ziti in the Crock Pot

Cooking Baked Ziti in the crock pot is pretty much the same as baking it in the oven but there are a few differences. The first is there is no need to dirty a pot to boil the ziti pasta. YES! The uncooked pasta cooks in the crockpot very well.

The second and major difference between Baked Ziti in the oven and Crock Pot Baked Ziti is that you avoid heating up the kitchen using the oven.

Summer will be here before you know it and cooking in the crock pot is a great way to save on cooling expenses during the hot summer months. I know our air conditioner strains during the summer months when the temperatures are in the high nineties.

 

How to Make Crock Pot Baked Ziti

Ingredients

  • 2  lbs block whole milk mozzarella cheese
  • 2 lbs  uncooked ziti pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 45-ounce jar pasta sauce
  • 32-ounce ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
     

Directions

  • Turn the crock pot on high and spray with cooking spray or wipe down the inside with oil. This will help with clean up.
  • In a large skillet brown the ground beef.
  • Drain the ground beef and return it to the pot. If you like to add onions or peppers add them to the pan and cook with the ground beef.
  • Pour the sauce over the meat and mix well.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and set aside.
  • In a large bowl beat the egg. Add the ricotta cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper and mix well. Set aside.

 

Mixing ricotta cheese for Crock Pot Baked Ziti via flouronmyface.com

  • Cut the mozzarella cheese into small cubes. You could also use bagged shredded mozzarella cheese but the whole milk blocks have a much better flavor.
  • Begin layering the ingredients into the crock pot starting with the meat sauce.
  • On top of the sauce add a layer of ziti pasta.
  • Add another layer of sauce over the pasta.
  • Spread a layer of the ricotta cheese mixture over the sauce.
  • Add a layer of mozzarella cubes.
  • Continue layering the ingredients until you run out of ingredients ending with a final layer of mozzarella cheese.

How to make Baked Ziti in a crock pot via flouronmyface.com

  •  Place the lid on the crock pot and cook for 3-4 hours on high or until the ziti pasta is cooked through.
  • Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

Easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti via flouronmyface.com

Print the easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti recipe below

Closeup image of a serving spoon lifting crock pot baked ziti from the slow cooker.

Crock Pot Baked Ziti

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face
Keep the house cool and enjoy dinner with this easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti recipe made with uncooked ziti pasta noodles. Baked Ziti is one of our favorite holiday crock pot meals.
5 from 66 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 4 hours hrs
Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 767 kcal

Ingredients  

  • 2 lbs whole milk mozzarella cheese ((I like to use the Polly-O Mozzarella Cheese blocks))
  • 2 lbs uncooked ziti pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef (browned and drained well)
  • 45 ounce jar pasta sauce ((or homemade meat sauce))
  • 32 ounce whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg (beaten)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
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Instructions 

  • Turn crock pot on high.
  • Brown the ground beef and drain well.
  • Return the ground beef to the pan and pour sauce in, mix well and remove from heat.
  • In a bowl beat the egg.
  • Mix the ricotta cheese, parsley, salt and pepper into the egg.
  • Cut mozzarella cheese into small cubes.
  • Spray a 6 or 7 quart crock pot with cooking spray or wipe down with oil to prevent sticking.
  • Add about 1 ½ cups of sauce and meat into the bottom of the crock pot and spread evenly over the bottom.
  • Spread a layer of ricotta cheese over the sauce.
  • Add a layer of uncooked ziti pasta and spread evenly over the ricotta cheese.
  • Spread a layer of sauce and meat over the pasta.
  • Repeat layering the pasta, sauce, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese until you have filled the crock pot or run out of ingredients being sure to end with a layer of mozzarella cheese as the final layer.
  • Place the cover on the crock pot and cook on high.
  • Slow cook for 4 hours or until the pasta is cooked through.
  • Serve with a side salad and crusty bread.

Recipe Expert Tips

  • Avoid removing the cover of the crock pot during the cooking time as this will slow down the cooking time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 767kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 44gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 1324mgPotassium: 769mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1359IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 578mgIron: 4mg
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About Arlene Mobley

Arlene Mobley author of Flour On My Face-a Food & Lifestyle website helping busy families get dinner on the table by serving easy recipes every week.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joanne

    November 11, 2024 at 1:24 pm

    This looks and sounds so delicious and easy!

    Reply
  2. Kyle

    September 15, 2022 at 9:40 pm

    5 stars
    This looks amazing! Can you leave the meat out to make it vegetarian?

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      September 18, 2022 at 3:41 pm

      Kyle

      Yes you can leave the meat out.

      Reply
  3. Joanne

    December 06, 2021 at 8:43 am

    I am hoping to make this as a pasta dish for Cmas so I can use the oven for other things to bake. I have 8 people eating, so I need at least 2 lbs of ziti to go along with the other food, so this recipe addressed that. I hope this works! I don't add meat to my ziti bc I have meatballs and sausages on the side. I plan to use less ricotta cheese, it's the healthy amount of mozzarella cheese 'pull' I am looking for when it is scooped out of the pot. I hope my changes don't effect the outcome!

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      December 11, 2021 at 2:45 pm

      Good luck Joanne!

      Reply
  4. Michelle Tidwell

    July 20, 2021 at 9:16 am

    Is it cooked on high or low?

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      July 24, 2021 at 11:36 am

      This recipe will cook 3-4 hours on high.

      Reply
  5. Kippi

    September 13, 2018 at 8:20 pm

    Yum, I printed it out and pinned it. This is a must have recipe for a busy family. Happy Fall, Kippi

    Reply
  6. Richella J Parham

    September 13, 2018 at 8:44 am

    This looks delicious! I'm always on the hunt for good crock pot recipes, but I've never thought of making something like Baked Ziti in the crock pot. I've pinned this for future reference!

    Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I'm featuring you this week!

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      September 13, 2018 at 12:26 pm

      Richella

      Thank you! It is an easy and delicious way to make Baked Ziti!

      Reply
  7. Norman

    March 15, 2018 at 1:41 am

    what is your favorite pasta sauce to use? or do you make your own

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      March 15, 2018 at 11:41 am

      5 stars
      Norman

      Thanks for asking. I love a chunky pasta sauce myself but some of the family doesn't care for chunks in the pasta sauce. I like to use Prego Meat sauce when I am serving this for my entire family for a holiday meal like Easter which I will be doing this year.
      Enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  8. Judith

    April 13, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Can ground turkey be substituted for ground turkey in the baked ziti? Will this work in a 4 quart crockpot?

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      April 13, 2016 at 11:30 pm

      Yes Judith you could use ground turkey instead of ground beef.

      Reply
  9. Susan Broughton

    March 30, 2016 at 11:16 am

    What is that side dish that you are showing with the recipe photo? It looks delicious, do you by chance have the recipe for it?

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      March 30, 2016 at 2:14 pm

      Susan

      I have been meaning to write the recipe for that little salad but haven't yet. It is a simple avocado, tomato and cucumber salad. I slice 1 avocado into chunks, one tomato, removing the seeds from the tomato, half a cucumber, salt and pepper to taste with about 1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise. Sometimes I add a little bit of sliced onion.

      Reply
      • Courtney

        April 16, 2016 at 9:43 am

        Yay I was just about to ask as well! Definitely making it with the ziti!

  10. Toni

    December 10, 2015 at 10:16 am

    What cooks the ziti? Is it the moisture from the cheese?

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      December 10, 2015 at 10:37 am

      Toni

      It is a combination of the moisture from the cheese, sauce and condensation that forms on the inside of the crock pot and drips into the crock pot as it cooks.

      Reply
      • Toni

        December 12, 2015 at 8:34 am

        Ok, thank you. I'm making it tonight. 🙂

  11. Kathy Lagnese

    July 08, 2015 at 10:45 am

    It doesnt say, is the pasta cooked or uncooked?

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      July 08, 2015 at 11:53 am

      Kathy

      The pasta is uncooked.

      Reply
5 from 66 votes (64 ratings without comment)

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