This Slow-Cooker Baked Ziti is made completely in the crockpot—even the pasta! It is so much easier than the traditional version but packs all of the same flavor! The recipe includes a step-by-step video.
Love your slow cooker as much as we do? Check out my 15 Best Crockpot Recipes, these Easy Crockpot Meals or these quick-to-prep Dump ‘n’ Go Slow Cooker Meals!
Table of Contents
- Why we love this Crock Pot Baked Ziti:
- Easy Baked Ziti Ingredients:
- How to make this easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti recipe:
- Tips for cooking Crock Pot Pasta:
- Reader Rating
- Variations on this Slow Cooker Baked Ziti:
- How to store this cheesy Baked Ziti:
- Can I freeze Crock Pot Baked Ziti?
- Serving suggestions:
- More Crock Pot Pasta recipes:
- Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is the perfect comforting dinner, made with hearty pasta smothered in rich sauce, combined with tender ground beef and gooey cheese. It’s a comforting dish that practically cooks itself!
Once you sauté the beef with onion, garlic, and seasonings, you throw everything into the crockpot (minus the cheese) and let it cook! The best part is that the pasta cooks right into the sauce, so there’s no need to whip out an extra pot.
If you’re looking for a delicious meal to make on busy weeknights, this delicious slow cooker recipe is for you!
Why we love this Crock Pot Baked Ziti:
- Family Favorite: Once you try this dish, it’ll quickly become a regular in your rotation! It’s hearty, satisfying, and something everyone at the table will love.
- Best Comfort Food: With layers of pasta, savory ground beef, and melted cheese, every bite feels like a warm hug after a long day.
- Low-Fuss: If you’re looking for an easy dinner, this recipe has you covered. Just throw everything into the slow cooker, and you can go about your day without any hassle.
Easy Baked Ziti Ingredients:
- Ground beef turkey or Italian sausage: use any fat-content ground beef you like! You can also keep things lean by using ground turkey or more decadent with Italian sausage.
- Aromatics: onion and minced garlic are sautéed with the meat and seasonings for flavor. You could swap them with onion powder and garlic powder if you don’t feel like chopping!
- Spices: I use a combination of salt, dried basil, and dried parsley, but you could also use Italian seasoning and salt instead!
- Diced tomatoes: these add a little texture.
- Pasta sauce: use your favorite type of marinara sauce.
- Chicken broth or beef or vegetable broth: this is used to cook pasta and add flavor. Use low-sodium broth to reduce the sodium content if you like.
- Short pasta (like Penne or Ziti): any type of short pasta shapes will work! For a heartier version, you could use whole wheat ziti or penne.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: You could also use parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, or any other type of Italian cheese you like!
How to make this easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti recipe:
Once you cook the beef, this meal practically cooks itself! Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of instructions.
- Cook the ground beef and onion until browned.
- Stir in garlic and spices, then cook briefly.
- Add meat mixture, tomatoes, pasta sauce, and broth to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Stir in the uncooked ziti. Top with cheese, cover, and cook until melted.
Tips for cooking Crock Pot Pasta:
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that figuring out how to cook pasta in the slow cooker was pretty life-changing for me.
Take this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Chili Mac for instance, or this Slow Cooker Healthier Hamburger Helper. We can’t get enough!
But there are a few tricks to getting it just right!
- Small pasta is best, but long pasta is doable. Short pasta like macaroni, penne, rotini, and others work best in this Slow Cooker Baked Ziti because they’re less likely to clump and stick together. Long pasta cuts like spaghetti and fettucini are doable, but you may have to stir a couple more times in between.
- Turn your slow cooker to high when you add your pasta. It’s going to take longer to cook than if you were boiling it, but we don’t want it to take forever, so crank it up and let it go for 15 minutes or so until it reaches your desired tenderness.
- Push your pasta down into the sauce — try to make sure you don’t have too many sticking out, or they may be dry.
- Don’t overcook — cooking pasta in the slow cooker takes longer than in boiling water, but it’s not going to take more than 20-25 minutes, so check at the 15-minute mark and then try to gauge how much longer it needs at that point.
Reader Rating
“Phenomenal recipe! My whole family really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing 🙂” Cassidy
Variations on this Slow Cooker Baked Ziti:
I have one other confession: my Ziti is not Ziti. It’s Penne.
But you know what?
Ziti is not that easy to find around here, and since my “Baked” Ziti isn’t all that traditional in the first place, why cause a big fuss about it? (If you’re looking for another untraditional “Baked Ziti” recipe that doesn’t cook all day, try this One Pot Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage!)
If you insist, you can easily swap the penne for ziti noodles, and nothing will change.
Here are a few more ways to mix things up if you want:
- Try swapping ground beef for loose Italian sausage for a slightly spicy, extra flavorful kick.
- Try swapping ½ cup of the broth for ½ cup of cream for a creamy, tomato-based pasta.
- You can easily swap the penne or ziti noodles for spaghetti and end up with spaghetti and meat sauce — just cut down the cooking time on the noodles and stir every 5 minutes until cooked.
- You can easily bump up the veggie content by adding shredded carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, finely chopped kale, or spinach — and no one will know!
How to store this cheesy Baked Ziti:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To reheat, add a splash of water or broth and microwave until heated through.
Can I freeze Crock Pot Baked Ziti?
Yes! Keep in mind that after thawing the pasta will have a softer texture.
Just pop individual servings into airtight containers and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.
Serving suggestions:
I love serving this hearty meal with some garlic bread to scoop up that cheesy marinara sauce! If you want to keep things light, serve with a green salad or some roasted vegetables.
More Crock Pot Pasta recipes:
- Cheesy Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti Recipe — creamy with a bit of kick!
- Crockpot Chicken and Noodles recipe — perfect comfort food.
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese recipe — complements so many different meals!
- Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper Recipe — this one is always a hit with the kids!
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic, (finely minced)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 can diced tomatoes, with liquid (28oz or 798ml)
- 2½ cups marinara sauce
- 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups dry penne or ziti pasta, (340g)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the beef and onion until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, salt, basil, and parsley and cook for 1 minute.
- Transfer the beef mixture to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, sauce, and broth. Stir well.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
- Turn the slow cooker temperature to high. Add the uncooked pasta and stir until combined. Cover and continue cooking for 15 to 30 minutes, until al dente, checking and stirring at the 15-minute mark.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Cover and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes until the mozzarella has melted.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Ameerah Pearman says
Made this exactly as instructed. My family LOVED it!
Ashley Fehr says
So happy to hear that! Thanks for coming back to comment!
KD says
Do you strain the ground beef prior to putting it in the crock pot?
Ashley Fehr says
I use lean or extra lean so there isn’t usually a need. But yes, if there’s a lot of fat that’s cooked out, I would strain it!
Eve says
What do I do if I use Italian sausage? DO I have to cook it first or do I just put it in the slow cooker as it is?
Maria says
I would definitely brown first to drain the fat
babs says
I made this for supper tonight, exactly as stated and oh my, it was FAN-TAS-TIC! I picked a bad time to start dieting. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to have some leftovers. Thank you for sharing!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Pamela Lyles says
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti really looks good. Will be trying real soon.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks! Let me know how you like it!
Nancy says
Made the crock pot baked ziti today , exactly like the recipe and I have to tell you, I give it an A plus, plus, plus…..
We both ate till we were about to burst and still have plenty for leftovers tomorrow, so I can enjoy it tomorrow too !
Never dreamed it would be so good done in the crock pot ! This will be a regular in my menu planning !
Ashley Fehr says
That makes me so happy Nancy! I’m thrilled you guys enjoyed it!
Meka says
Any body else’s initially look like a lot of liquid ? I’m hoping this cooks down and there isn’t as much liquid or this is going to be runny
Ashley Fehr says
It’s not going to be runny because the pasta cooks in the liquid.
Nancy says
once you add the pasta in to cook it absorbed the liquid in mine. Need a lot of liquid for the pasta to cook right.
Everlinda says
I am cooking this now. Going to cook on hi for 3 hrs. And then it says to add uncooked pasta and cook for 45 mins while mixing every 20 mins. Will the pasta cook, even though the slow cooker after 3 hrs is starting to cool down?
Ashley Fehr says
You continue cooking, as the recipe says, so the slow cooker won’t be cooling down. I hope you enjoy it!
ColleenB.~Texas says
Delicious!
I cut back on the water/broth and used some V-8 juice and used Veggie broth in place of the water / chicken broth.
(sorry, I’m a dumper and not a measurer, so have no idea how much liquid of each that I used)
Ashley Fehr says
So happy to hear that! I’m a bit the same way 😉
Tori says
Noodles cooked or uncooked?
Ashley Fehr says
Uncooked
Charlotte Benson says
I love this recipe! I followed it exactly and it made WAY more pasta than I expected. If I half the recipe, do you know how long I will have to cook it?
Ashley Fehr says
It will take about the same amount of time probably! I would maybe check the pasta after 15 minutes.
Stephanny iglesias says
Hello, if my slow cooker only has the options to cook for 4 or 6 hours on high and 8 or 10 hours on low, where can I put this to cook. Just put all the ingredients in
Ashley Fehr says
Since the ground beef is already cooked, the time is really flexible. You could do 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low, or you set it to low and just add the pasta after 4-5 hours.
Lisa says
My whole family loved it and I have super picky eaters! Thanks!!!
Ashley Fehr says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!
Adrian says
I’m a little nervous guys! This is my first recipe in the crockpot other than a ham! I’ve had it on low for about 3 and 1/2 hours, so eager to see how it turns out! I’ll let everyone know soon!
Ashley Fehr says
I can’t wait to hear back!
Emily says
Do you prefer to use water or chicken broth
Catherine says
I’m making it now and was wondering the same. I’ll do water for now until we hear back from whichever liquid is better 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
If you have it, I would use broth for more flavor. But if you don’t, water works just fine!
Chloe says
Has anyone attempted freezing this meal? We loved it but have a TON left over and wondered if it would be a good freezer meal?
Ashley Fehr says
I actually haven’t tried, but it should work fine! I would just be careful reheating it so that the pasta doesn’t become mushy.
Robert says
If u reheat it,what difference does it make if it becomes mushy?You are going to heat it and then eat it;right?:-) ??
Ashley Fehr says
Well, it makes a difference if you don’t enjoy eating mushy pasta. If you’re fine with that, then no, it won’t make a difference.
Eleni says
Any specific jar sauce you use for this ? I am not a big fan of pre-made pasta sauces so I defer to what you love to use in this dish. The minute my son saw it on my computer he wants me to make it for dinner tomorrow.. lol ! Thank you !
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Eleni! I like Classico or Newman’s Own — I try to look for all natural ingredients and no added sugar.
Eleni says
Thank you I didn’t get the chance to make this today but its on the menu for Friday !!
Stephanie says
Do you add the pasta cooked or uncooked to the crock pot?
Ashley Fehr says
Uncooked!
June says
Can you use more sauce and less water?
Ashley Fehr says
You can try but I wouldn’t recommend cutting out too much of the water — the pasta needs it to cook properly.
Heidi Grindstaff says
Could I add ricotta to this recipe?
janet says
how much does this feed?? also would this freeze ok for leftovers??
Ashley Fehr says
It feeds about 6 people, depending on how hungry your people are! It could serve a bit less or a bit more. It can definitely be frozen!
Amy says
Just curious if you’ve made this without any meat and what you’d have to change or do differently???
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Amy! You wouldn’t necessarily have to change much as the liquid should still be just enough to cook the pasta. You may want to add some extra veggies at the beginning of the cook time just for some extra oomph.
Nancy says
What kind of veggies would you recommend?
Ashley Fehr says
Peppers, mushrooms or zucchini would be great!
Karen says
Hi….I’m a little confused on the amount of time to cook this dish. In the instructions it says 4 hours but down further it says 6 hours on low or 3 on high…..can you please clarify? Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry! Because there is a such a big variety in cook times it’s just an average. 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low would be correct.
Nicole B says
Think it would be ok to cook longer… like 8 hours?
Katherine says
I did it! Came out great. I used fresh tomatoes instead of canned and it still tastes great. I was hoping to find nutritional info really available on this site. Is it around here somewhere?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Katherine! I’m glad you liked it! I don’t normally offer nutritional values because it can depend hugely on which brands and specific products you use, and not all calculators are reliable. I will be adding some in the new year though!
traci says
Can I put in turkey meat frozen and let it cook longer? Or do I have to cook the meat on the stove first?
Ashley Fehr says
You will need to start with cooked ground meat. You can start with frozen cooked ground meat in the slow cooker and just make sure it’s completely heated through and bubbling before you add the pasta.
Danielle says
I made this actually and use ground turkey raw an put that in the crock pot an worked great. No grease an tastes awesome. Added a few extra little dashes of red pepper flakes too
Ashley Fehr says
That’s good to know!
Laina says
So thankful u added that! My stove broke down and the new one won’t be in for a week so I can’t brown the meat before hand! This is super helpful!!