Description
Just a few minutes of mixing and layering is all it takes for this cheesy, delicious baked ziti. A fuss-free dinner the whole family loves
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta (uncooked)
- 48 ounces marinara sauce
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Layer: Add uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, grated Parmesan, and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella to a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir until everything is well mixed, then put small spoonfuls of ricotta cheese on top and gently mix it in. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over the pasta mixture.
- Cook: Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or until the pasta is just right for you. Check the pasta often because different machines may take different times. Serve as soon as it’s done and add fresh parsley or basil if you like.
Notes
Go for good quality marinara sauce and microbial-rennet cheeses as they make a big difference in taste. If your marinara sauce isn’t very flavorful, add half a teaspoon of salt at the start. If you don’t have Italian seasoning blend, use a mix of oregano, thyme, and basil. To enhance the flavor, add a teaspoon of garlic powder and/or crushed red pepper.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 452 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 1235 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 49 mg
Keywords: slow cooker baked ziti, crockpot pasta, easy dinner, Italian-American