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crock pot baked ziti

(2 ratings)
JUPITER1 avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Amanda Michelle
@JUPITER1
Hebron, KY

Threw this together the other night for dinner. It was really good! Leftovers were even better :). It filled my 6 qt Crock Pot, so it makes a bunch!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Layering the meat, noodles, and cheese in this Crock Pot baked ziti is a great idea because it enables all the ingredients to blend together. This recipe reminds us of a lasagna. It's super cheesy and filled with tomato flavor. You'll have lots of leftovers which is fine ... because this tastes even better the next day.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(2 ratings)
yield 10 ish
prep time 40 Min
cook time 1 Hr 30 Min
method Slow Cooker Crock Pot

Ingredients For crock pot baked ziti

  • 1 1/2 lb
    ground chuck
  • 1 jar
    marinara sauce, 32 oz (I used mids garlic & onion)
  • 2 can
    petite diced tomatoes, 14.5oz
  • 1/2 Tbsp
    crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 to 1.5 lb
    ziti pasta, or similar size (I used rigatoni)
  • 1
    tub of ricotta (I used cottage cheese because that's what I had); 15 oz
  • 1/2 c
    Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 4 c
    mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 big bag)
  • 1
    egg
  • salt and pepper

How To Make crock pot baked ziti

Test Kitchen Tips
If you want to bake this, we suggest layering everything in a casserole dish and baking at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
  • Browning ground beef in a pot.
    1
    In a large sauce pan, add ground beef breaking up as it browns until it's cooked through. Drain off excess grease.
  • Marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, and red pepper flakes added to ground beef.
    2
    Add the jar of marinara sauce, cans of diced tomatoes, and red pepper flakes.
  • Sauce simmering on the stove.
    3
    Bring to a bubble and then turn to simmer. Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes while you cook pasta.
  • Cooked pasta in a pot.
    4
    Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot (off burner).
  • Ricotta, Parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella, and egg in a bowl.
    5
    While pasta is cooking, add ricotta, Parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella, and egg to a medium mixing bowl and mix well.
  • Ricotta mixture seasoned with salt and pepper.
    6
    Salt and pepper to taste. I also added a bit of chopped parsley because I had some, totally optional.
  • Cheese mixture mixed in with the pasta.
    7
    Add cheese mixture to pasta and toss to incorporate.
  • A little bit of sauce added to the pasta.
    8
    Add a ladle full of meat sauce to pasta and cheese.
  • Macaroni tossed with the sauce.
    9
    Toss again.
  • A bit of meat sauce added to the bottom of the slow cooker.
    10
    At this point, you can layer in Crock Pot, as I did to keep warm for company, or in a casserole to bake if short on time. For the Crock Pot method, put a small amount of meat sauce to the bottom of the Crock Pot.
  • Part of the noodle mixture added.
    11
    Then 1/3 noodle mixture.
  • Meat sauce and shredded mozzarella added.
    12
    Then 1/3 meat sauce, 1/3 mozzarella and few shakes of Parmesan.
  • Repeating the layers ending with cheese.
    13
    Then repeat layers two more times ending with mozzarella and Parmesan.
  • Ziti cooked in the slow cooker.
    14
    Cover and set to high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until melted and bubbly.
  • Crock Pot Baked Ziti on a plate with bread.
    15
    Enjoy with garlic bread and tossed salad.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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