Best Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipes

SLOW COOKER BAKED ZITI

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.

SLOW COOKER BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is no longer pink. Stir in seasonings to evenly coat meat; stir in pasta sauce. Set aside.
• Mix 1 cup mozzarella, the ricotta and parmesan in a medium bowl. Spoon 2 cups of meat sauce into the slow cooker; top with 2 cups ziti. Drop half of the cheese mixture, by rounded tablespoons, over ziti; carefully spread over ziti using back of spoon. Layer with 2 cups meat sauce, the remaining ziti and remaining cheese. Add remaining meat sauce, completely covering all the ziti and cheese. Place lid on slow cooker.
• Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are tender.
• Carefully remove lid to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle food with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella; let stand 10 minutes until melted. Serve directly from slow cooker.

SLOW-COOKER 'BAKED' ZITI

Steps:

• Place pasta in slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray. Reserve 1/2 cup mozzarella for later use. Add remaining mozzarella to slow cooker along with all remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Cover with lid.
• Cook on LOW 3 to 4 hours (or on HIGH 2 to 3 hours).
• Top with reserved mozzarella; cook (covered) on HIGH 10 min. or until melted.

BONNIE'S SLOW COOKER BAKED ZITI (GLUTEN FREE!)

Steps:

• Make TWO foil collars from two 18 inch sheets of tin foil, folded in half to make each sheet about 5 inches wide and 18 inches long. This will go around the perimeter of the slow cooker, twice. See my photo, one is inside the other. This technique will prevent the ziti from scorching and help it cook more evenly and keep its shape, so don't omit. This makes four layers of foil between your ziti and the wall of the slow cooker. there will be no foil on the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Spray generously with Pam inside the foil "walls".
• Heat oil in large Dutch oven. Remove the casings from the sausage and using a spoon, break it into small pieces. Fry over medium high heat until well browned. Add onion and cook until lightly browned, about five minutes, then add the garlic, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes.
• Measure the raw ziti and add it to the meat mixture. Turn it constantly for five minutes until the edges of the pasta become translucent. Turn off the fire. Note: This technique of cooking the ziti in oil and meat prevents uneven cooking of the pasta, so don't omit.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and the tomato sauce. Scrape up any brown bits. Mix well.
• Carefully spoon the sauce into the center of the foil-lined slow cooker.
• It will look like this.
• Add the lid, cover and cook on low about 3 hours. Mine was perfectly done at 3 hours. So you will want to check yours at about 2 1/2 hours.
• Now it is cooked. Using tongs, remove the foil sleeves from the walls of the slow cooker.
• Dollop ricotta over the ziti in the slow cooker.
• Sprinkle the grated mozzarella over the ziti and ricotta. Put the lid on the slow cooker for 20 minutes on the warm setting just to melt the cheeses.
• Here is how the Ricotta and Mozzarella cheeses look when melted.
• Thinly slice your fresh basil.
• Get your plate ready and garnish with basil.
• Serve and Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Stir in seasonings to evenly coat meat,stir in pasta sauce set aside.
• Mix 1 cup mozzarella, ricotta, and parmesan in a bowl. Spoon 2 cups of meat sauce into the slow cooker and top with 2 cup ziti. Drop 1/2 of cheese mixture over ziti and spread over ziti. Layer with 2 cups of meat sauce, the remaining ziti and remaining cheese. Add meat sauce and place lid on slow cooker.
• Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
• Sprinkle food with remaining cup of mozzerella and let stand for 10 minutes until melted.

SLOW COOKER BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Coat a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, onion, and garlic 6 to 8 minutes, or until browned; drain and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg whites, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and oregano; mix well.
• In the slow cooker, layer 2 cups sauce, half the sausage mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, half the ziti, and half the ricotta mixture; repeat layers. Top with remaining sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley on top.
• Cover and cook on low 4 to 5 hours, or until pasta is tender.