Breaking News! You can make pasta in your slow cooker. This Crock Pot Baked Ziti was made completely in the slow cooker. Cheesy, gooey pasta is a must try in your slow cooker! I know, I know. It's hard to believe!
You don't even have to cook the pasta before. I thought that the pasta would turn to mush but they ended up just like regular baked ziti. The best part is that I didn't have to heat up my kitchen since it was 102 degrees the day I made it!
There are actually tons of Italian recipes you can make in your slow cooker, two other easy ones are Creamy Italian Chicken and Bruschetta Chicken, if you aren't feeling pasta.
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Secret Step for Crock Pot Baked Ziti
The secret is that you don't add any water to the pasta and the tomato sauce slowly cooks the pasta for you. The secret-secret is to make sure the ziti pasta pieces sit in the red sauce when you layer the ingredients in the Crock Pot. If any of the pasta isn't in the red sauce, those parts might end up a little hard.
This recipe is so simple that all you have to do is mix a few ingredients together and then layer them all just like the traditional baked ziti.
Cheese, Cheese, and more Cheese!
The triple cheese blend makes this baked ziti a melty cheesy masterpiece. All of these cheeses add a unique flavor and gives you that real Italian restaurant Baked Ziti experience.
- Ricotta
- Parmesan
- Mozzarella
Types of Pasta for This Dish
Ziti Pasta
Ziti is a type of Italian pasta shaped as smooth, medium-length tubes with straight-cut ends (unlike penne, which has angled cuts). Ziti is traditionally used in baked dishes like baked ziti, where the hollow center helps trap sauces, cheeses, and meat for a hearty, flavorful bite. Its sturdy texture holds up well to thick tomato sauces, creamy cheeses, and slow-cooked meats, making it a go-to pasta for comforting, oven-finished meals.
- ZITI PASTA: Ziti pasta, the ever-popular tube-shaped pasta, gets its name from the word “zita,” or bride; Stock up with this pack of 8, 16-ounce boxes of ziti pasta
- BARILLA PASTA: Made with durum wheat to deliver great taste and perfect "al dente" texture every time
Optional Gluten-Free Penne Pasta
If you want a gluten-free version of this dish, just swap out the pasta. I've actually used this gluten free penne pasta instead of ziti! It really doesn't make much difference to the finished dish.
Other Tube Pasta Options
You can use any tube pasta you should be good to go.
Ingredients to Make Crock Pot Baked Ziti
- Jarred pasta sauce or homemade pasta sauce
- Uncooked ziti/penne pasta
- Ricotta cheese
- Eggs
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Basil
- Salt and Pepper
Step by Step Directions for Crock Pot Baked Ziti
STEP 1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray
STEP 2. Mix ricotta cheese with egg, ½ the parmesan cheese, and seasonings.
STEP 3. Layer sauce on bottom of the slow cooker
STEP 4. Layer the pasta. Make sure the pasta is in the sauce.
STEP 5. Scoop five dollops of ricotta (about ¼ of your mix)
STEP 6. Add layer of mozzarella (using about ¼, or 2oz, of the cheese)
STEP 7. Repeat these layers two more times.
STEP 8. Add one more layer of pasta, sauce, mozzarella, and sprinkle with the rest of your Parmesan cheese. (No pasta on this layer)
STEP 9. Cook on high for 3 hours
Important Note About Servings and Crock Pot Size
Because we're using pasta in the Crock Pot, it's important not to over or under cook this.
When using a Crock Pot of any size, you want to aim for having the ceramic insert at least ⅔ full for a proper cook. Less than that you food might get too hot too fast.
I find that my 4-quart Crock Pot works great when making 4 servings of the baked ziti. For larger crowds, say 6-8 servings, I'll use my 6-quart cooker. If I use my 6-quart cooker for 4 servings it just gets too hot.
- Crock-Pot 4 Quart Travel Proof Cook and Carry Programmable Slow Cooker with Locking Lid, Convenient Handles, and Digital Display, Stainless Steel
Perfect for Potluck
Crock Pot Baked Ziti can make A LOT of pasta! I love to make this as a main dish to bring to potlucks and everyone always raves about it. This will easily serve 4 - 8 people (adjust printable menu card with servings requirement) with large portions for a family dinner or you can freeze the leftovers and eat it later. We always freeze our leftovers and then eat it the following week!
Food Allergies
Gluten Free - If you want a gluten-free version of this dish, I have you covered! My favorite gluten-free pasta is the Gluten Free Barillla Pasta line. It doesn't have the after taste of some pasta's made with beans. I find that it is the best one at staying together while cooking. Some brands disintegrate especially when using in this kind of recipe where the pasta is soaking in sauce soaking.
Crock Pot Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 24 oz marina sauce
- 8 oz Ziti pasta
- 16 oz ricotta
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon basil
- .5 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Spray entire slow cooker insert with non-stick spray.
- In large bowl, mix ricotta with the egg, basil, salt, pepper and half of the grated parmesan.
- Cover bottom of slow cooker with sauce.
- Layer ⅓ of the pasta pasta evenly on top of sauce.
- Take 5 scoops of the ricotta mixture drop onto sauce (about ¼ of your mix).
- Top with a layer of mozzarella cheese (about ¼ of your cheese).
- Repeat steps 3-6 two more times.
- End with layer of sauce, mozzarella, and then the rest of the parmesan cheese.
- Cook on high for 3 hours. Test doneness by sampling on of the ziti pasta pieces. If too firm, cook a little longer.
- Optional: Serve with additional fresh grated parmesan cheese on top.
Nutrition
More Casseroles
Looking for more easy casseroles? Try this easy Mexican Casserole.
Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole
Megan says
Can I add cubes chicken pieces in this?
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Megan, I have not used cubed chicken. I have used sliced sausage and browned ground beef. My only concern would be that the chicken would not have long enough to cook since it only cooks for 2 hours.
Amber says
Maybe I'm working with a different size crock pot or maybe I just don't know how to layer lol but I didn't have enough ingredients to make as many layers as the recipe called for. However it didn't matter - I layered it according to what I had and it was absolutely delicious! Will be making it again!
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Amber, Yes it can be different based on the crockpot size but I'm so happy it turned out great!! Thanks for letting me know!
Carolyn says
Can I double the recipe for crockpot ziti? How long should I bake it?
Kerri says
I've been looking for a baked ziti recipe for the crockpot! I recommend updating the ingredients from penne to ziti, though. 😉
Erin says
3 starts because it tasted good. But noodles were still very much hard after 2.5 hours
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Erin, So sorry to hear that the timing was off for you. Unfortunately, each crockpot cooks differently so sometimes that happens. So happy it tasted when it was finally cooked.
Linn Palmer says
Hello! Could I do this in my instant pot? If so how would you recommend doing it? Thank you!
Jill Petros says
Made for my sons birthday party, was a huge hit! Excellent recipe!!
Allison Treadwell says
Yay!!!! So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Joan says
Do you cook the pasta first or does it go in the crockpot uncooked?
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Joan, The pasta is uncooked. You pour the red sauce over the noodles and the liquid in the sauce cooks the noodles. Hope you enjoy it!
Julie says
Can I use cottage cheese in place of ricotta cheese?
Thank you
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Julia- Yes cottage cheese is a great substitute. You might want to use a little less than the recipe calls for when you swap it thoug.
Fran says
Question: Can I put it all together the night before and “cook” it the next morning? Looks like a wonderful potluck dish!
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Fran! I don't think the pasta will hold up overnight. It will get too mushy. I'm sorry 🙁
Sa says
Marina sauce??
gina says
what if i forgot the eggs? so i put them in and mix it all up?
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Gina, Hope it turned out great. If I left out the eggs in the beginning I would probably just leave them out since it helps to bind the cheese.
Christine says
This looks very good please send me the website thank you
Devon says
Can I cook on low for more time?
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Devon! I haven't tried it but other people have said they have cooked it for 6 hours and it still turned out great. I would just make sure to have enough sauce so it doesn't get dried out.
Jessica Gesink says
Would I be able to use some ground hamburger for this recipe for some protein??? Would I need to add more sauce??
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Jessica! Absolutely, I just brown the meat and drain the fat. After that I mix it in with the sauce and layer it.
Veronica says
This by far is the worst recipe ever. 1 the amount of ricotta & cheese in this... you can't even taste the sauce. 2. Idk why I thought a crockpot would be better, it takes much less time and cooks better just boiling water and tossing in sauce and cheese. The point of a crockpot recipe is it can go all day and be ready for dinner. But it only takes 2.5 hours to cook anyways, might as well have just made it in my Dutch oven one pot recipe easy. DID I MENTION THE CHEESE?! Like wow. I love cheese but that was gross, the pasta cooked unevenly because there's literally no liquid to the sauce. Unless your sauce is really watery I don't see how your pasta would cook evenly
Lauren says
Can you use meat in it ?
Allison Treadwell says
Yes! I usually brown the meat first and drain the fat. Then I mix it in with the red sauce. I have also used sliced sausage!
Jessica Gesink says
How many pounds with that amount of sauce??? Do you add more sauce
Allison Treadwell says
I usually do 1 pound and don't add more sauce. Just make sure the sauce completely covers the noodles so they all cook evenly.
Susan Gibbons says
Can you use regular pasta instead of gluten free?
Allison Treadwell says
Hi Susan! Yes, regular pasta works great too. Just make sure to cover all the pasta with the red sauce to make sure it cooks evenly. Enjoy!
H says
Am I supposed to boil the pasta? Or put it in uncooked?
Allison Treadwell says
Hi! You do not boil the pasta first. You will cover it in the red sauce and the liquid from the red sauce will cook it. Just makes sure to really cover all the pasta. Hope you enjoy it!
Stacy Volin says
I have made that type of pasta recipe and also made the lasagna recipe though I par boil my lasagna noodles to get the starchy taste out of them. Both delicious. I’m on a tear right now to lose more weight so using sliced zucchini and eggplant planks instead of pasta to mimic those pastas for now and using a no sugar added sauce like Raos, Prego or Ragu’s. Still will be decadent when finished. I also use a liner for easy clean up. Worth the investment.
Kevin says
I highly recommend not using this recipe. You can cut the ricotta amount in half and it will be plenty. Thankfully I cooked some Italian sausage and served it on the side as that was the only flavor you got beside ricotta.