**Baked Ziti in Crock Pot: A Cheesy, Comforting Dish for Any Occasion**
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food experience with our delectable baked ziti in a crock pot. This classic Italian dish features tender ziti noodles smothered in a rich, creamy sauce made from ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. It is elevated with flavorful Italian sausage, sautéed bell peppers, and a blend of savory herbs and spices. Perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings, this slow-cooker recipe delivers a hearty and satisfying meal that will please the whole family. Our article provides two variations of this classic dish: a traditional baked ziti and a vegetarian version featuring roasted vegetables. Both recipes are easy to follow and offer a delightful combination of textures and flavors that will leave you craving for more.
CROCK POT BAKED ZITI
Steps:
- Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onion. Break meat apart as is cooks. Cook until no longer pink and then add garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pasta sauce and tomato sauce. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, egg, basil, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Pour 1/3 of sauce into the bottom of a greased 6-quart slow cooker. Scatter 1/3 of the uncooked ziti on top.
- Spoon 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the ziti.
- Repeat another layer of sauce, ziti, and the remaining ricotta mixture.
- Repeat with remaining ziti and then the remaining sauce.Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 hours.
- Remove lid and sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese on top. Cover with the lid just long enough to melt the cheese.Serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 634 kcal, ServingSize 1 serving
CROCK POT BAKED ZITI
Make this easy classic comfort food in your Crock Pot! Cheesy, Gooey and Delicious in every bite.
Provided by Allison Treadwell
Categories Dinner
Time 2h50m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Spray entire slow cooker insert with non-stick spray.
- In large bowl, mix ricotta with two eggs, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper.
- Cover bottom of slow cooker with sauce.
- Layer pasta on top of sauce.
- Take 5 scoops of the ricotta mixture drop onto sauce.
- Top with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat steps 3-5 two more times.
- End with layer of sauce, mozzarella and parmesan.
- Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
- Serve with grated parmesan cheese on top.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 586 kcal, Carbohydrate 45 g, Protein 34 g, Fat 31 g, SaturatedFat 18 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 152 mg, Sodium 1722 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 8 g, ServingSize 1 serving
SLOW COOKER BAKED ZITI
Great comfort food. For a healthier dish use ground turkey, skim-milk mozzarella, low-fat or skim-milk ricotta, and whole wheat pasta.
Provided by Stevo
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork Sausage
Time 6h55m
Yield 20
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Stir ground beef, sausage, basil, oregano, pepper, and salt together in a bowl.
- Cook and stir beef mixture in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions and garlic in hot oil until slightly golden and tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Stir beef mixture, onion mixture, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and red peppers together in a large bowl.
- Stir 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, and Parmesan cheese together in a separate bowl.
- Spoon 1/3 of meat mixture into the slow cooker; top with 1/2 the ziti pasta. Drop 1/2 the cheese mixture by rounded tablespoons over the ziti; carefully spread cheese mixture over ziti using the back of the spoon. Repeat layering process 1 more time. Pour remaining meat sauce over the top and place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on Low for until ziti is tender, 6 to 7 hours (or cook on High for 3 to 5 hours).
- Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella over the top of the baked ziti and let stand until melted, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 405.3 calories, Carbohydrate 45.6 g, Cholesterol 44.3 mg, Fat 15.4 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 21.5 g, SaturatedFat 6.3 g, Sodium 1066.7 mg, Sugar 5 g
SLOW-COOKER BAKED ZITI
I don't know one family that doesn't have some crazy, hectic weeknights. This slow-cooker baked ziti recipe was a delicious, easy fix for a busy weeknight dinner for our family. -Christina Addison, Blanchester, Ohio
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 2h10m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a small bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, egg, basil, and if desired, red pepper flakes; set aside. Pour pasta sauce into a 5-qt. slow cooker. Evenly top sauce with pasta; pour water over top. Drop heaping tablespoons of ricotta cheese mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. , Cover; cook on high until heated through and pasta is tender, 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Top with fresh basil and if desired, Parmesan cheese and additional red pepper flakes; serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 379 calories, Fat 17g fat (10g saturated fat), Cholesterol 89mg cholesterol, Sodium 886mg sodium, Carbohydrate 36g carbohydrate (13g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 23g protein.
CROCK POT BAKED ZITI
Layering the meat, noodles, and cheese in this Crock Pot baked ziti is a great idea because it enables all the ingredients to blend together. This recipe reminds us of a lasagna. It's super cheesy and filled with tomato flavor. You'll have lots of leftovers which is fine ... because this tastes even better the next day.
Provided by Amanda Michelle
Categories Other Main Dishes
Time 2h10m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- 1. In a large sauce pan, add ground beef breaking up as it browns until it's cooked through. Drain off excess grease.
- 2. Add the jar of marinara sauce, cans of diced tomatoes, and red pepper flakes.
- 3. Bring to a bubble and then turn to simmer. Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes while you cook pasta.
- 4. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot (off burner).
- 5. While pasta is cooking, add ricotta, Parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella, and egg to a medium mixing bowl and mix well.
- 6. Salt and pepper to taste. I also added a bit of chopped parsley because I had some, totally optional.
- 7. Add cheese mixture to pasta and toss to incorporate.
- 8. Add a ladle full of meat sauce to pasta and cheese.
- 9. Toss again.
- 10. At this point, you can layer in Crock Pot, as I did to keep warm for company, or in a casserole to bake if short on time. For the Crock Pot method, put a small amount of meat sauce to the bottom of the Crock Pot.
- 11. Then 1/3 noodle mixture.
- 12. Then 1/3 meat sauce, 1/3 mozzarella and few shakes of Parmesan.
- 13. Then repeat layers two more times ending with mozzarella and Parmesan.
- 14. Cover and set to high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until melted and bubbly.
- 15. Enjoy with garlic bread and tossed salad.
BAKED ZITI IN CROCK POT
Make and share this Baked Ziti in Crock Pot recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Foxxyladyone
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 4h15m
Yield 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown ground beef and onion, stirring occasionally until browned. Add Italian seasoning and salt, mixing well. Add pasta sauce. Remove from heat, but leave in skillet.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
- In slow cooker, add 2 cups of beef mixture into bottom of skillet and half of the noodles. Add spoonfuls of three cheese mixture on top of ziti, covering the noodles. Layer 2 more cups of beef, then remaining noodles, then cheese. Top with remaining beef mixture, ensuring cheese and pasta are covered.
- Cover with lid, and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 hours, or until noodles are tender.
- Ten minutes before serving, top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese, letting stand for ten minutes to melt.
- If you end up with leftovers, be sure to freeze the extras for a great freezer meal!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 385.3, Fat 14.8, SaturatedFat 6.9, Cholesterol 63.4, Sodium 618.3, Carbohydrate 39.5, Fiber 1.6, Sugar 8.1, Protein 22.6
Tips:
- Use a large slow cooker to ensure that all of the ingredients fit comfortably.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions before adding it to the slow cooker. This will help prevent the pasta from becoming overcooked and mushy.
- Be sure to brown the ground beef and sausage before adding it to the slow cooker. This will help to develop the flavor of the meat.
- Add a layer of cheese to the bottom of the slow cooker before adding the other ingredients. This will help to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the pasta is tender and the sauce is heated through.
- Serve the baked ziti immediately, topped with additional cheese and parsley, if desired.
Conclusion:
Baked ziti is a classic Italian dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. This recipe for baked ziti in a crock pot is easy to follow and results in a delicious and hearty dish. With a few simple tips, you can make sure that your baked ziti turns out perfect every time.
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