How many of us start to scramble a bit when back to school hits? I know I do. Our summer is a bit more laid back and relaxed than during the school year.
I don’t know about you but I turn to my slow cooker to help out as often as I can. In fact, sometimes I think I need to get a 2nd slow cooker so that I don’t have to wait for the one to be cleaned before starting another meal.
Anything that makes my life a bit easier is awesome!
This recipe is part of my Slow Cooker Comfort Foods Freezer Meals. It has been one of the most popular posts/recipes on my Pinterest account. Specifically this Slow Cooker Baked Ziti recipe. (Make sure to check out the post to see directions to make this a freezer meal).
And on a side note, are you following me on Pinterest? I’d love to connect with you. If you’d like me to follow you back, leave a comment below with your Pinterest url and I’ll find you.
I can understand why this Slow Cooker Baked Ziti recipe is so popular. All you need to do is combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and you have dinner ready in a couple hours. Easy! Who would have thought that you can make pasta in the slow cooker? You sure can.
Here’s how:
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Ingredients
1 – 26 oz pasta sauce
1 1/2 C water
15 oz ricotta or cottage cheese
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
8 oz package grated mozzarella cheese
8 oz (2 Cups) ziti pasta (uncooked)
1 T Italian seasoning
Directions
Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add all ingredients (1/2 of mozzarella cheese) to the slow cooker. Mix. Top with Mozarella cheese.
Cook on high 1 – 1 1/2 hours until pasta is tender.
You will have a delicious pasta meal that took barely any preparation.
Serve with garlic toast or french bread and a side salad and dinner is done! Enjoy!
Here’s a great image for Pinterest. Happy pinning!
I love meals like this for busy nights!
Oh man, that looks so good! I’m definitely in the cravings and withdrawal part of my diet! LOL
I know what you mean, Stefanie! I don’t usually make a different meal for the kids than for Tim and I but this one I had to make. 😀
OMG this looks delish!! I have never tried pasta in my slow cooker but I am excited to try it with this recipe!
I love pasta! This would be so easy!
Looks YUMMY and easy!!!!
I love using my slow cooker! It makes dinner time so easy.
This looks delicious!! I am looking for easy meals to make after Liam is born, I think this one is added to the list ;).
I am a single dad with 5 kids so I am appreciating recipes like this to learn more things to cook for them now that they are all with me. Thanks for sharing, this one they would like
And it’s so easy. That’s a huge plus for me. 🙂
looks yummy and easy i will have to try this!
I love Slow cooker meals this time of the year and this one looks so delicious and I will be making this soon. Thanks for sharing!
This looks delicious, and easy! I am always looking for new slow cooker recipes, so thanks so much for posting this!
Mmmm…this looks so good. I never knew you could cook pastas in the slow cooker. I’m always looking for easy recipes so I will definitely have to try this.
oh yummy!! this looks so tasty and I can already see me making something like this, my hubby would want meat balls and garlic bread 🙂 Thanks for share, great and easy recipe..
That looks just so yummy. I love cooking with the slow cooker. Been trying to win one. Hopefully I get blessed this season!
I love the idea of making this in the slow cooker! We actually have 3 different ones because we use them so often, plus I take them for potlucks.
I really needed a slow cooker recipe. I just bought a slow cooker and have been looking for something to make first! this shall be it!
Oh yes! Love my slow cooker. I have plenty of freezer recipes on the blog too.
Sounds delicious! Gonna try it next week! Love cooking dinner in the slow cooker!
I have GOT to get a crockpot! So many awesome looking recipes like this one!
I never would have guessed to include cottage cheese in the recipe.
I’ve always used cottage cheese vs. ricatta. I think it’s just because that’s what my mom used. 😉
Would love this one. TFS.
My family loves pasta, and since I brought back four crock pots of various sizes from my mom’s place after she passed, I have been looking for recipes I can cook in them. I’ll have to give this one a try. I really love the idea of setting things up early in the day and not having to rush around last minute making dinner.
This looks great, except that I would definitely use the ricotta cheese. I’ve never made baked ziti in a slow cooker before, I’ll have to try it. Thanks for the post!
I LOVE baked ziti. Making it in the crock pot just makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This looks amazing! thanks for sharing 🙂
I’ll have to cut this down but have some to freeze for later. Love baked Ziti so I’ll be trying this one. TFS.
I loved baked ziti! I make it all the time. I have never heard of making it in the crock pot! What a great idea! Can’t wait to try this!! Thank you!
i love recipes like this with less than 10 ingredients. i loved baked ziti and will have to try this way.
Wow this looks delicious! I loved baked ziti, but have never attempted to try to make it. This recipe sounds pretty easy, I will have to give it a try, thanks!
How delicious – I have never made baked ziti in a slow cooker, I did not even consider that I could. Thanks!!
This looks delicious! I have never tried pasta in my slow cooker but I am excited to try it with this recipe
Wow! This is my favorite type of recipe. No boiling the pasta and you make it all in one pot.
Looks delicious. Do you think you could cook it on low for twice the time? Has anyone tried it that way? Thank you!
I have not, but possibly! I think you’d just have to make sure the noodles don’t overcook.
IS IT 1 1/2 CUPS, OR 1/2 CUP WATER? Thanks!
It is 1 1/2 Cups.. one and 1/2. 🙂
Making this tonight and adding ground beef to it!!! So excited to see how it turns out!!! 🙂
Could you tell me how many this recipe serves? I’m looking for something to serve LOTS of people and I want to plan accordingly. Thanks! I’m excited to try it!
I would say a family of 4-6. 🙂
What size crockpot do you use for this recipe?
I use a larger oval one. I think it’s an 8 quart.
If using frozen beef to add to this should it be cooked first? Or can it be thrown in frozen?
I would cook it first. 🙂
My noodles came out crunchy and not cooked at all after 1.5 hours on high. Any tips to prevent this next time?
I would say you might have to play around with the amount of liquid you’re adding in.
This sounds delicious and very easy to make. I’m half Italian and my aunt used to make and bring me baked ziti when I was younger. I have never tried to make it before, but with this recipe, I am definitely going to try now. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the recipe- I’m always looking for new recipes for the slow cooker.
Dawn our family loves extra mozzarella cheese would it hurt to add more to the recipe?
I wouldn’t think so but this definitely might be a try it and see.
Our family loves ziti real cheesy . Would it hurt to increase the Mozzarella cheese to 2 cups?
I need to make a large meal for a group of people. Could I double this recipe and still have it fit in the slow cooker? How would that affect cooking time?
I honestly don’t know. It’d depend on your slow cooker. Unfortunately, you may just have to experiment.
That looks so easy and delicious.