Recipe: Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Slow cooker baked ziti is just like the traditional casserole with tender noodles swimming in marinara & mixed with a double dose of gooey, melted cheese.
Serves6
Prep5 minutes
Cook1 hour to 4 hours
Yes, you really can make baked ziti (well, “baked” ziti) in your slow cooker. And the result isn’t just good — it’s amazing. What it lacks in the crispy-edges department it gains in the ooey-gooey comfort-food department: tender noodles coated in marinara and mixed with a double dose of melty cheese.
The Secrets to Success with Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Pasta in the slow cooker has a reputation for being overcooked and soggy — a result of too much liquid in the slow cooker or too long of a cook time. But that won’t happen here. To get these noodles just right, we minimized the amount of liquid by cooking the dried noodles directly in the marinara sauce instead of broth or water. And since most store-bought marinara is infused with extra flavor from garlic and herbs, this means your ziti also gets a boost of extra flavor.
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Slow cooker baked ziti is just like the traditional casserole with tender noodles swimming in marinara & mixed with a double dose of gooey, melted cheese.
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 1 hour to 4 hours
Serves6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Cooking spray
- 1 pound
dried ziti pasta
- 48 ounces
marinara sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) container
whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups
shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
Coat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the ziti, marinara, ricotta, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and stir well to combine. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
Cover and cook until the pasta is cooked through and the cheese is melted, on the LOW setting for 3 to 4 hours or on the HIGH setting for 1 to 2 hours. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.