Description

This Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is a hearty and comforting pasta dish that combines Italian sausage, a homemade tomato sauce, and tender ziti pasta, all cooked to perfection in a slow cooker. It’s an easy make-ahead meal perfect for busy days, featuring rich flavors developed over several hours of slow cooking and topped with melted mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Vegetables

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage (or ground beef or ground turkey)
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

Tomato Sauce and Seasonings

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
15 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 ½ cups water

Pasta and Cheese

16 ounces uncooked ziti pasta (or penne pasta)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

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Instructions

Brown the Meat: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage (or ground beef or turkey) and cook, crumbling the meat for about 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped onion and continue cooking until the sausage is fully cooked through. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring frequently. Drain off any excess grease from the skillet.
Combine Sauce Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked meat mixture to the slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, black pepper, and water. Stir to combine thoroughly. Do not add the pasta yet as it will cook later in the slow cooker. Although the mixture will seem liquidy, the water will be absorbed when the pasta cooks.
Slow Cook the Sauce: Cover the slow cooker and cook the sauce mixture on the high setting for about 3 hours or on the low setting for about 6 hours. This slow cooking allows the flavors to meld and develop deeply.
Add the Pasta: After the initial cooking time, stir in the uncooked ziti pasta, pressing it down so that it is fully immersed in the sauce and liquid. Cover and continue cooking on high for an additional 15-25 minutes. Stir once after 15 minutes to ensure the pasta cooks evenly. The cook time may vary depending on your slow cooker and whether it was initially on low or high.
Finish and Serve: When the pasta is tender, turn off the slow cooker. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the pasta. Cover the slow cooker and let it rest for 5 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt. Serve hot, enjoying this comforting and flavorful baked ziti.

Notes

This recipe is an easy make-ahead meal, ideal for busy days when you want comforting homemade food without extensive hands-on time.
You can substitute Italian sausage with ground beef or ground turkey according to your preference.
The slow cooker method yields a tender pasta with a rich, well-developed tomato sauce without the need for baking in the oven.
Pasta cooking time may vary slightly based on your slow cooker model; check tenderness and adjust accordingly.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 515 kcal
Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 935 mg
Fat: 24 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 55 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 21 g
Cholesterol: 54 mg