Easy Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe: A Family Favorite Dinner

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If you’re a fan of classic Italian comfort food like traditional baked ziti, then you’re going to absolutely adore this slow cooker baked ziti recipe. It captures all the delightful flavors of a baked ziti but offers a convenient way to prepare it on busy weeknights. Imagine coming home to a delicious, home-cooked meal that your whole family will enjoy, without the fuss of extensive preparation and oven time.

This slow cooker version of baked ziti is loaded with rich sauce, savory meat, a generous amount of cheese, and all those essential Italian herbs and spices that make the dish so irresistible. What’s even better is that it only requires a few minutes of prep work in the morning, leaving you with a comforting and satisfying dinner ready to be served as soon as you walk through the door. No more scrambling for last-minute meal ideas or resorting to takeout! This recipe is a game-changer for busy families who crave home-cooked goodness without the stress.

Once your cheesy baked ziti is ready, all that’s left to decide is what to serve alongside it. I personally love pairing it with warm, crusty breadsticks or a slice of garlic bread, perfect for soaking up all that delicious sauce. A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette also provides a refreshing contrast to the richness of the pasta, creating a well-balanced and satisfying meal that everyone will love. Feel free to get creative with your sides and tailor them to your family’s preferences. Whether it’s roasted vegetables, steamed broccoli, or a simple tomato and cucumber salad, the possibilities are endless. The key is to choose sides that complement the flavors of the ziti and add variety to the meal.

Ingredients for Your Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Masterpiece

Gathering the right ingredients is the first step to creating a truly exceptional slow cooker baked ziti. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what you’ll need, along with some helpful tips and suggestions to ensure your dish turns out perfectly every time:

• Meat: For an explosion of flavor, I highly recommend using ground Italian sausage. The combination of pork, fennel, and other spices adds a unique depth of flavor that perfectly complements the other ingredients. You can choose between mild, sweet, or hot Italian sausage depending on your spice preference. If you’re not a fan of sausage, ground beef or even ground turkey can be used as a substitute, but be sure to season it well with Italian herbs and spices to achieve a similar flavor profile.
• Onion: Use either a yellow or white onion, finely chopped. Onions provide a foundational layer of flavor, adding sweetness and depth to the sauce. Yellow onions are generally more versatile and offer a balanced flavor, while white onions have a slightly sharper taste. Be sure to sauté the onions until they are softened before adding them to the slow cooker to ensure they blend seamlessly into the sauce.
• Seasonings: You’ll need minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and dried basil. Garlic is an absolute essential for any Italian-inspired dish, adding a pungent and aromatic flavor. Salt and pepper enhance the overall taste of the dish, while dried basil provides a classic Italian herb flavor. Feel free to experiment with other herbs and spices to customize the flavor to your liking. Oregano, thyme, and parsley are all great additions to consider.
• Tomatoes: Italian-style diced tomatoes help make this easy slow cooker recipe stand out. Look for canned diced tomatoes that are specifically labeled as “Italian-style” as they often contain additional herbs and spices that enhance the flavor. You can also use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce as a base for the sauce, but diced tomatoes add a nice texture to the final dish.
• Sauce: You will need to have a jar of your favorite marinara sauce. The quality of your marinara sauce will greatly impact the overall flavor of the dish, so choose one that you truly enjoy. Look for a sauce that is rich, flavorful, and not overly sweet. You can also make your own marinara sauce from scratch if you’re feeling ambitious.
• Liquid: You can use either water or chicken broth in addition to the meat sauce. Adding liquid to the slow cooker is essential to ensure that the pasta cooks properly and doesn’t dry out. Water is a perfectly acceptable option, but chicken broth adds a richer flavor to the dish. You can also use vegetable broth for a vegetarian option.
• Pasta: I like to use ziti noodles, but you can use other kinds of dry pasta as well. Ziti is a classic choice for baked pasta dishes, but you can easily substitute it with other types of pasta such as penne, rigatoni, or even elbow macaroni. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly, as different types of pasta may require different cooking times in the slow cooker.

Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

Now that you have all your ingredients ready, it’s time to start assembling your slow cooker baked ziti! Follow these simple steps for a foolproof recipe that will impress your family and friends:

1. Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium heat and brown. Once cooked through, remove any excess grease from the pan. Browning the sausage before adding it to the slow cooker helps to develop a deeper, more complex flavor. Be sure to break the sausage into small pieces as it cooks to ensure it cooks evenly.

2. Add the sausage to a large slow cooker along with the diced onion, minced garlic, diced tomatoes, seasonings, marinara sauce, and water. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. This is where all the magic happens! The slow cooker will gently simmer the ingredients together, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen over time.

3. Cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to fully develop and the sauce to thicken to a perfect consistency. If you’re short on time, cooking on HIGH will speed up the process, but cooking on LOW will result in a more tender and flavorful dish.

4. Turn the slow cooker to high and stir in the uncooked ziti pasta. Let cook for an additional 16-35 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked to al dente. The cooking time may vary depending on your slow cooker, so it’s important to check the pasta regularly to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
5. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top and stir in once melted. The melted cheese adds a creamy, gooey texture that perfectly complements the other flavors in the dish. You can also add other types of cheese such as Parmesan or ricotta for even more flavor.
6. Serve and enjoy your delicious slow cooker baked ziti! Garnish with fresh basil or parsley for an extra touch of flavor and visual appeal.

Essential Tips and Tricks for Slow Cooker Pasta Perfection

Cooking pasta in a slow cooker can be a bit tricky, but with these helpful tips and tricks, you can ensure that your slow cooker baked ziti turns out perfectly every time:

Can You Cook Pasta in a Slow Cooker?

Yes, you absolutely can! However, the key is to pay close attention to the timing of the noodles. Towards the end of the cooking time, turn your slow cooker back up to high, add your uncooked pasta, and keep a close eye on it. Every slow cooker is different, so cooking times may vary.

Your pasta could cook to al dente perfection in as little as 10 minutes, or it could take upwards of 30 minutes. The best way to determine the perfect cooking time for your slow cooker is to test the pasta regularly.

I recommend setting a timer and checking the pasta’s progress every 3-5 minutes. Once you figure out how long it takes, you’ll always know exactly how long to set your timer for future batches.

Why Do I Need to Add Water or Chicken Broth?

When making slow cooker recipes with uncooked pasta, it’s crucial to ensure that there is enough liquid in the bottom of the slow cooker. The pasta needs to absorb this liquid in order to become tender and fully cooked.

Without enough liquid, the pasta will remain hard and crunchy, resulting in an unpleasant texture. The amount of liquid needed will depend on the type of pasta you’re using and the size of your slow cooker, so it’s always a good idea to start with a generous amount and add more if necessary.

Effortless Clean-Up: A Slow Cooker Liner is Your Best Friend

Since the goal of this recipe is to make an easy and stress-free dinner, why not make clean-up a breeze too! All you need to do is add a slow cooker liner to the bottom of the slow cooker before you begin.

These liners are made of heat-resistant plastic and create a barrier between the food and the slow cooker, preventing sticking and making clean-up a snap.

Then, when you’re done eating, simply remove the liner, throw it in the trash, and wipe out the slow cooker. You’re done! This might just be the best part of this delicious slow cooker recipe. An easy dinner is great, but no dishes to do? Even better!

Explore More Delicious Slow Cooker Pasta Recipes

If you’re looking for more easy and delicious slow cooker pasta recipes, be sure to check out these other family favorites:

• Stuffed Shells – Slow Cooker: A comforting and satisfying dish filled with creamy ricotta cheese and savory meat sauce.
• Slow Cooker Creamy Mac and Cheese: The ultimate comfort food, made even easier in the slow cooker.
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta: A flavorful and unique twist on classic chicken pasta.

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe

By: Julia Pacheco

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is easy, cheesy and perfect for a cool night in. It cooks in your slow cooker (not the oven) all day and tastes great.

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 7 hrs | Total Time: 7 hrs 15 mins | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 28 oz can Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 24 oz marinara sauce
• 2 ½ cups water, or chicken broth
• 13 oz ziti pasta
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium heat and brown. Once cooked through, remove any grease from the pan.
2. Add the sausage to a large slow cooker along with the diced onion, minced garlic, diced tomatoes, seasonings, marinara sauce, and water. Stir well.
3. Cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
4. Turn slow cooker to high and stir in the uncooked pasta. Let cook for an additional 16-35 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. This may vary depending on your slow cooker. Sprinkle the cheese on top and stir in once melted. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 941kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 2669mg | Potassium: 1666mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1357IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 298mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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