Description
Looking for the ultimate easy dinner idea? This Crockpot Ziti is the answer. It’s a hearty, cheesy, slow-cooked pasta recipe that brings all the rich flavors of traditional baked ziti without turning on the oven. With layers of ziti, savory marinara, seasoned ground meat, and plenty of gooey cheese, it’s perfect for weeknight meals, potlucks, or make-ahead meal prep. Whether you’re craving a quick comfort food, need family-friendly dinner ideas, or just love a no-fuss crockpot meal, this is one of the best food ideas you’ll come across. It’s everything you love about Italian comfort food made incredibly easy.
Ingredients
1 pound uncooked ziti or rigatoni pasta
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
24 ounces marinara or pasta sauce
15 ounces crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh or dried basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and brown the ground beef or sausage until fully cooked. Drain the excess fat and season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
2. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, half the Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
3. Spray the crockpot with non-stick spray. Begin layering: a little sauce, half of the uncooked pasta, half the meat, spoonfuls of ricotta mixture, a sprinkle of mozzarella and Parmesan, then more sauce. Repeat.
4. Make sure the top layer is sauce. Reserve some mozzarella for the final topping.
5. Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours, until the pasta is tender.
6. In the final 30 minutes, sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top, cover, and let it melt.
7. Let the dish rest 5–10 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil if desired.
8. Serve hot and enjoy the gooey, cheesy layers!
Notes
Use freshly shredded cheese for the best melt and flavor.
Do not overcook the pasta; check at the 4-hour mark if cooking on low.
Make ahead by assembling the layers the night before and refrigerating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 29g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: crockpot ziti, easy dinner, baked ziti slow cooker, pasta recipe, cheesy crockpot recipe