The Recipe Rebel

The Recipe Rebel / Dinner

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe

written by Ashley Fehr

Pin
4.87 from 276 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Jump to Recipe

Last updated on February 3, 2025

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.

white slow cooker filled with baked ziti and wooden ladle.

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

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!

a scoop of slow cooker baked ziti coming out of a white crockpot.

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.
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox. You’ll also get new recipes and a free monthly menu plan!

Easy Baked Ziti Ingredients:

ingredients needed for slow cooker baked ziti in bowls.
  • 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.
uncooked ground beef and chopped onions in black frying pan.
Cook the beef and onion
cooked ground beef and onions with spices added in pan.
Add the garlic and seasonings
  • 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.
white slow cooker with diced tomatoes added.
Pour tomatoes, sauce, broth, and meat mixture into the slow cooker
white slow cooker filled with baked ziti and shredded mozzarella on top.
Top with cheese

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!

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Push your pasta down into the sauce — try to make sure you don’t have too many sticking out, or they may be dry.
  4. 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

Add your review

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.

blue plate filled with baked ziti and topped with chopped parsley.

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:

ashley avatar

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

written by Ashley Fehr

4.87 from 276 votes
This Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is actually made completely in the crockpot — even the pasta! It is so much easier than the traditional version but packs all of the same flavor!
close up of a wooden ladle in a slow cooker of baked ziti.
Review
Print
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 6 servings
Calories 587cal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef (or turkey or Italian sausage)
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 650 ml jar pasta sauce (about 2 ½ cups)
  • 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth (or beef or vegetable)
  • 375 gram box Penne or Ziti or other short pasta (about 4 cups)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until browned. Stir in garlic, salt, basil and parsley and cook 1 minute. (OPTIONAL: you can also add the raw onion and spices right into the slow cooker to save on time)
  • Add beef mixture, tomatoes, pasta sauce and broth to a 4qt (or larger) slow cooker. Stir.
  • Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
  • Turn slow cooker to high. Add pasta and stir until combined. Cover and continue cooking for 15-30 minutes (depending on how hot your slow cooker is) — check and stir at the 15 minute mark.
  • Sprinkle with cheese and cover for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 645grams | Calories: 587cal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1618mg | Potassium: 934mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 895IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 273mg | Iron: 4mg

Want to save this recipe?

Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.

Register Now

Tried this recipe?

Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel —
I love to see what you’re making!

Tag @thereciperebel
Pin

Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

Read More

You May Also Like

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christina P. says

    Made this delicious recipe in my slow cooker and it turned out amazing !! … I was lucky to get my hands on Parmesan Imported right from Italy. I added about a cup of parmesan to my sauce after combining all ingredients to the crock pot( I always do this when I make pasta , with the fresh parmesan in the sauce as it simmers gives it a beautiful flavor. I added a red bell pepper & Italian seasonings and garden fresh basil, I was able to find Ziti luckily and added the shredded mozzarella the last five min. This was absolutely fantastic other than those additions I followed your recipe down to the last detail. I served this with garlic bread. I can’t thank you enough for this delicious recipe 🙂

    Reply

  2. Anita says

    I make this all the time. I cube my mozzarella and mix it in the last 5 minutes. I end up with pockets of cheese.

    Reply

  5. Aimee says

    Just made this! It turned out great! My almost 3 year old enjoyed it so it will definitely be added to our dinner line up! I added softened frozen spinach for added veggie boost.
    Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  6. Skye says

    I’m excited to try this, haven’t ever done uncooked noodles in the crock pot before!! Wondering, I’m going to be making this when I won’t be home to put the noodles in, but Hubby will… Not sure if he’ll remember to turn the crock pot up to high, so how long do you think the noodles will take to cook on low? (He is NOT comfortable in the kitchen LOL So I try to give him as few steps as possible!)

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      hi Skye! Sorry it took me so long to respond. Low generally takes twice as long as high, but it probably won’t take that much longer considering the crockpot won’t be fully at high temperature. Maybe an extra 5 or 10 minutes

      Reply

  7. KT says

    This was revolutionary for me! Thank you so much for demystifying cooking pasta in the slow cooker! I followed the recipe using chicken broth and rotini. The rotini was ready in 20 minutes and had a perfect texture! It was a hit with the whole family! This will definitely be in our regular meal rotation. Thank you, thank you!!!

    Reply

  8. Heaven Finch says

    Hey so we loved your recipe!!! My boyfriend used to be the cook in the house but I’m starting to make some dishes I did mess up the noodles they tasted gummy but he said this was the best I’ve made so far I will probably continue using your recipes 🙂

    Reply

  9. Rose says

    If I use sausages instead, can I put them into the slow cooker directly, or do I have to pre-cook them.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      If they are cooked, you don’t have to cook them before adding to the slow cooker. If it is uncooked sausage I would crumble and cook, or slice and cook before adding

      Reply

      • Julie says

        I’m making this soon! When would you add veggies such as diced carrot, peppers, etc. so they don’t turn to mush?

      • Ashley Fehr says

        It really depends on the vegetable. Carrots take a long time to cook, so I would add them at the beginning. Peppers I would personally add at the beginning, but I don’t like crisp chunks of pepper in my sauce. If you want them firm and still slightly crisp, you would add them for the last couple of hours.

  10. Heather says

    I am using a crock pot. I do not have a oven at the moment. But I am wondering about using cottage cheese. Can I just make it like a baked spaghetti?

    Reply

  11. Toni R says

    this was very good, my husband loved and sent some with him to give to my mother and father in law, they loved it too, best of all everything goes in the crock pot and it is great left over, thanks for the great recipe

    Reply

  12. Mita says

    This is the fourth time I’m making this dish today. It has become quite a favorite in our family. I love your blog and the YouTube channel as well.

    Reply

  15. Sydney says

    Loved this recipe! I didn’t put in the tomatoes and used the noodles I had, turned out FANTASTIC! Definitely recommend.

    Reply

  16. Coco says

    I put the pasta in too early!! It’s now in the sauce and will cook on low.. set an alarm to wake up and see… I foresee takeout tomorrow for dinner… anyone make this mistake?

    Reply

  17. Jody says

    I want to make this to serve for a group so I made it as an experiment for my office. It was awesome!!!! I am going to make it this weekend for our Agility Trial (dog sport) lunch. I am going to try doubling the recipe hoping that it works as well as the posted recipe. Has anyone tried doubling the recipe?

    The pasta was perfect!

    Reply

  18. Esther Lord says

    I love using my crockpot for dinner recipes because it allows me more time to spend on dessert 🙂 I saw this recipe fly by on Instagram and thought, oh snap hold up, now this looks deeeelicious !! So, I made it last night for dinner. It turned out perfect and it is most definitely deeeeelicious !! My husband enjoyed it also, he even asked me to pack him some so that he could have it for lunch today at work. Boy oh boy when he heats this up in the microwave, there are going to be some stomach grumbling around him, lol. This here recipe is definitely a keeper, thank you for sharing 😉

    Reply
4.87 from 276 votes (191 ratings without comment)

Leave A Reply

Have you tried this recipe? Leave a rating