A friend reached out to me with a food challenge: how to make baked ziti that will be hot and ready when they come back from a christening. A Slow Cooker Baked Ziti recipe seemed like the perfect solution!
Naturally, I had to do some experimenting so that I could give her a recipe to use that I know will work for her needs.
This recipe for Slow Cooker Baked Ziti involves layering ingredients in your slow cooker (paid link). letting it cook for 2 1/2 hours, and then adding some mozzarella cheese on top for ultimate cheesiness!
Ingredients:
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (16 oz) box ziti pasta
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large bowl. You can also use your favorite tomato sauce instead, you just need around 9 cups of sauce.
In a smaller bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs and basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
When ready to assemble, brush the inside of your slow cooker with olive oil. Add 2 1/2 cups to the pasta sauce of the bottom of your slow cooker and spread evenly.
Sprinkle in ~1/3 of the ziti.
Add on half of the ricotta mixture in dollops.
Evenly sprinkle 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese.
Add another layer of tomato sauce using 2 1/2 cups of the sauce.
Sprinkle another 1/3 of the ziti on top.
Add the rest of the ricotta mixture.
Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.
Add another layer of tomato sauce, about 2 cups.
Add the last 1/3 of the ziti.
Top with the remaining 2 cups of sauce.
Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
When ready to serve, remove the top and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted.
Serve.
Top with more chopped fresh basil, if desired.
Hooray! This worked out great!
This recipe is super adaptable, so you can really make it your own.
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can tomato puree
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 16 oz box ziti pasta
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large bowl. You can also use your favorite tomato sauce instead, you just need around 9 cups of sauce.
- In a smaller bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs and basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
- When ready to assemble, brush the inside of your slow cooker with olive oil. Add 2 1/2 cups to the pasta sauce of the bottom of your slow cooker and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle in ~1/3 of the ziti.
- Add on half of the ricotta mixture in dollops.
- Evenly sprinkle 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese.
- Add another layer of tomato sauce using 2 1/2 cups of the sauce.
- Sprinkle another 1/3 of the ziti on top.
- Add the rest of the ricotta mixture.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.
- Add another layer of tomato sauce, about 2 cups.
- Add the last 1/3 of the ziti.
- Top with the remaining 2 cups of sauce.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
- When ready to serve, remove the top and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted.
- Serve.
- Top with more chopped fresh basil, if desired.
