This easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti is a comforting slow cooker dinner loaded with pasta, sausage, rich tomato sauce, and lots of melted cheese. It’s a simple make-ahead dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Serve it with salad and garlic bread for an easy family dinner.
If you love slow cooker pasta, you’ll also want to try this Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo.
If you love a good baked ziti, you’re going to love how easy this Crock Pot Baked Ziti is! It has everything you want in a comforting pasta dinner. Hearty Italian sausage, tender pasta, rich tomato sauce, and lots of melty cheese. And the best part? The slow cooker does most of the work.
My youngest says that this reminds him of lasagna, and it does have those same flavors! But this is much easier, and I love that I can start it a few hours before dinnertime. It’s perfect for a weeknight, but makes a great Sunday supper, as well!
This is a dinner that the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- Sausage: I used sweet Italian sausage, but you could also use hot Italian sausage if you want to add a little bit of spice.
- Marinara Sauce: To make this super easy, I used jarred marinara sauce. But if you have the time, you can definitely make homemade marinara sauce, as well.
- Ricotta Cheese and Sour Cream: These combined give you creamy layers in the pasta.
- Garlic: I like to use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: This adds extra Italian flavor to the dish.
- Pasta: We are using ziti here, because of course, this is baked ziti. You can swap out the pasta, though – most short cut pastas should work just fine.
- Cheese: You will need both mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. I like to use freshly grated cheese because it melts so much better.
- Basil: I like to add something fresh to slow cooker recipes, and some fresh basil is perfect on this pasta. If you don’t have fresh basil, you can leave it out, but it does add great, fresh flavor.
How to Make Crock Pot Baked Ziti
STEP 1: Add the sausage to a large skillet or Dutch oven. Break the sausage as it cooks, and cook until browned and cooked through.
STEP 2: Once the sausage is done cooking, add the marinara sauce and 2 cups of water. You don’t need to cook it at this point, just make sure everything is combined.
STEP 3: In a bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, sour cream, garlic, and Italian seasoning.
STEP 4: Now it’s time to start assembling the pasta. Add about 2 cups of the pasta sauce to the bottom of your slow cooker. Top with 1/3 of the pasta. Then take 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and dollop it over the top. Spread it as well as you can.
STEP 5: Top that with about 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Then repeat those layers two more times.
STEP 6: Once your layers are done, top it all off with the parmesan cheese. Put the lid on top, and cook on low for 3-4 hours, until the pasta is tender.
Tips and Tricks
This really only needs 3-4 hours on low. Any longer and the pasta will start to get mushy. I don’t suggest cooking it on high.
This does make a lot of pasta. If you have a smaller slow cooker, you can cut the recipe in half, but I would not suggest trying to cut it in half with a standard sized crock pot.
My family does love the leftovers, though. The pasta will get pretty soft, but it’s still delicious!
Feel free to make this meat free and just leave the sausage out!
More Slow Cooker Dinners
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes
Crock Pot Chili
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Crock Pot Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 2 (24 oz) each jars marinara sauce (can also use homemade!)
- 2 cups water
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 16 oz uncooked ziti pasta
- 12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil for topping
Instructions
- Place a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up as it cooks, until fully browned.1 pound Italian sausage
- Once browned, add both jars of marinara sauce and the water. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat.2 (24 oz) each jars marinara sauce, 2 cups water
- In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, sour cream, garlic, and Italian seasoning.16 oz ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Ladle about 2 cups of the sauce in the bottom of a 7 to 8 quart slow cooker. Top that with 1/2 of the ziti. Then take 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and dollop it on top of the pasta. Very carefully, spread the ricotta layer evenly. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella on top.16 oz uncooked ziti pasta, 12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- Repeat the layers, with another 2 cups of sauce, 1/2 of the remaining noodles, 1/2 of the remaining ricotta mixture, and 1/2 of the remaining mozzarella.
- Finish assembling with the remaining sauce, then noodles, then ricotta, and the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top.1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Place the cover on the slow cooker and cook no low for 3-4 hours, or until the pasta is tender. (You don’t want to cook it too long, as the pasta will get soggy.)
- Before serving, top with fresh basil.Fresh basil
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