Easy Crockpot 'Baked' Ziti
Easy Crockpot 'Baked' Ziti This is a vegetarian version of the dish, but I also add crumbled sausage when we want to tup the protein. Brown 1 lb of sausage and mix with the marinara before using in the recipe.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 12 ounces shredded Italian blend cheese
Instructions
- Line the bottom of the slow cooker with aluminum foil.
- Place 1/3 of the dry noodles on the bottom of the pot, then cover and spread with 1/3 of the marinara.
- Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta cheese on top of the marinara, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
- Add the next layer using 1/3 of the ingredients, then top with the final 1/3, ending with the shredded cheese on top.
- Secure the lid and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the pasta has cooked all the way through and the cheese has melted.
Notes
This recipe is made much simpler by not even cooking the noodles beforehand; they’re cooked by the moisture coming from the sauce and ricotta. I recommend using sturdy penne pasta here; the ribbed edges that make it easy for sauce to cling to. If you’d like to add ground beef or sausage here, brown it on the stove and then add it with the bottom layer of sauce.