Crock Pot Baked Ziti
on Jun 03, 2023, Updated May 07, 2024
This easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti recipe is a great recipe to feed a crowd! It’s super easy to make and even the noodles cook right in the crock pot.
This baked ziti recipe is so easy to prep and will feed a crowd. Even the noodles cook right in the slow cooker.
I love that the slow cooker does all the work for me with just a few minutes of prep work. Normally when making a pasta dish, I would spend extra time dicing up onion and garlic to get that extra depth of flavor.
For this baked ziti crock pot recipe I didn’t add any extra spices (except fresh basil) and it was so good! Ready for the step by step? I’ll show you just how simple it is! (full ingredient amounts are included in a recipe card at the bottom of this post).
Ingredients & Notes
- Jarred pasta sauce: go for a good quality pasta sauce for the best flavor
- Tomato sauce
- Uncooked penne pasta: yes, the pasta will go in raw. No need to boil it at all first!
- Ricotta cheese
- Eggs
- Freshly chopped basil: I don’t suggest leaving this out or substituting it. The fresh basil really makes the flavor of this dish!
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
How to make crock pot baked ziti
Step 1: Add 15 oz of ricotta cheese, basil, and 2 eggs to a bowl. Mix it up until it looks like what is pictured below. Fresh basil really adds a lot of flavor, so don’t leave this part out!
Step 2: Mix together the pasta sauce and tomato sauce in a bowl and divide your penne pasta into three equal amounts. Now it is time to assemble the baked ziti.
Before beginning, spray your crock pot with cooking spray. This will help cleanup be a lot easier!
Step 3: Measure out 2 and â…“ cups of sauce mixture and pour it into the bottom of the crock pot. Next, measure the penne into three equal amounts and add â…“ of it to the top of the sauce.
I have eye balled it in the past and usually mess it up, so it’s worth taking the extra minute to divide evenly into three bowls before you begin layering.
Step 4: add half of the ricotta/egg/basil mixture. You can either add the ricotta in dollops, or spread in an even layer.
Step 5: add half of the parmesan cheese in an even layer.
Step 6: repeat the steps for the next level: another 2 and â…“ cups of sauce, â…“ of the uncooked penne, the remaining ricotta mixture, and the remaining parmesan cheese.
Add the rest of your penne on top. And lastly, the rest of your sauce! Spread it out as evenly as you can, so that the noodles on top cook properly.
Step 7: Place the lid onto your crock pot and cook the baked ziti on high for 2 hours and 15 minutes.
I have tested this recipe several times, and the perfect amount of cook time appears to be right around 2 and a half hours, before the noodles get too soft. After the 2 hours and 15 minutes, it should look like this image below.
Step 8: Time for the last step which is the mozzarella cheese on top!
I have used both asiago and mozzarella, and both are delicious. Basically any italian cheese you can get your hands on will be great!
Several readers have commented with their substitutions that turned out to be delicious. After the remaining 15 minutes of cook time, the cheese will look all melted and amazing like this.
It’s time to eat! One note: this makes enough to feed a crowd, so you will need a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
The flavor of this crockpot pasta is just out of this world delicious. If you have never made pasta in a crock pot, this is a great recipe to start with!
This is a family favorite in our house, and I can always count on it coming out perfect every time! I have tested this recipe to perfection and it gets RAVE reviews every time I make it.
Serving idea
We like serving ours with roasted veggies and garlic bread! My favorite is pairing it with my oven roasted frozen broccoli. Super simple and delicious dinner with barely any cooking!
The layers of pasta and cheese are so good. I love getting the bites of fresh ricotta and basil. And the noodles cook in the sauce so they soak up all the yummy flavor!
Can I substitute the ricotta cheese?
Cottage cheese is a commonly used substitute for ricotta in baked ziti as it has a similar texture. You could also try using cream cheese in place of the ricotta.
Reader Dee says, “Cottage cheese works just fine, the eggs act as a binder. Cream cheese also works well. I’ve made this recipe many times.”
How to store
Leftover baked ziti can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
More Pasta Recipes
Crock Pot Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- (2) 25 ounce jars of pasta sauce
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 pound UNCOOKED penne pasta
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- â…“ cup freshly chopped basil
- 2 cups of freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Combine the ricotta, eggs, and basil in a bowl and stir well
- In a large bowl, combine both jars of pasta sauce and the tomato sauce together.
- Grate the Parmesan cheese and set aside.
- Grease the inside of a 6 qt slow cooker
- Add 2 â…“ cups of pasta sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker
- Add â…“ of the uncooked penne.
- Dot on half of the ricotta mixture and spread out evenly.
- Add half of the Parmesan cheese (1 cup)
- Add another 2 â…“ cups of sauce mixture
- Add an additional â…“ of the uncooked penne.
- Dot on the remaining ricotta and spread out.
- Sprinkle on the remaining parmesan cheese (1 cup)
- Add the last â…“ of the uncooked penne.
- Top with the remaining 2 â…“ cups of sauce mixture
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until pasta is al dente (we cooked ours for around 2 ½ hours)
- During the last few minutes, add the mozzarella cheese to the top and allow to melt
- Serve alone or topped with red pepper flakes and served with garlic bread
- Enjoy!
This was delicious and so simple to make! Someone had asked about calories, if you split this into 8 servings it is about 660 calories a serving. (I was using all whole products, nothing skim or low fat, and using Hunts pasta sauce instead)
So glad you liked it Monique! And thank you for the info!
Are the noodles cooked before you put them in the crockpot?
No, you just need to rinse them in cold water before adding them to the crockpot!
rinsing pasta was not in the instructions. was this necessary? for the dish to come out all right? because I made this according to instructions and dish tasted starchy/ pasty not as good if you had boiled noodles and baked dish in oven.
Hi Roxane,
I have made this dish both with and without rinsing the noodles first and it turned out well both ways. That is why I removed that part from the instructions. Baked ziti in the crockpot definitely does not taste the same as baked in the oven, but I love both ways! The key for this recipe is to not cook it too long and let the noodles get soggy. Perhaps this was the issue when you made it?
Mario Batali is my go-to guy on pasta. He explained that the pasta needs to have the starchiness to cause the sauce to adhere. Usually though, the pasta and sauce are blended after the pasta is cooked, so in this case maybe stirring the ingredients together in the crockpot at the end of cook time is best. He uses the starchy water when cooking straight-up pasta on the stove to help sauce marry with the pasta. If the pasta isn’t well mixed with sauce, then you will get that starchy noodle-free-of-sauce flavor. (I know because Olive Garden here seems to like to bring out a plate of noodles with sauce poured on top and then it tastes starchy and sometimes even watery. Not good.) Hope this helps!
Mine turned out the same way, like a gummy texture
Hi Krystal,
This usually results from cooking the pasta too long. The last time I made this I cooked it on high for 2.5 hours. Just be sure to check the pasta after 1.5-2 hours to text the texture of the pasta so that you can cook it to your liking 🙂
I made this yesterday for dinner it was A HIT! the only thing I noticed was possibly it could have had more sauce. Since the pasta is uncooked it does soak up the liquid. I emptied the jars into a large bowl and then added hot water to the jars to get every last bit out…thinking that might be enough. I am contemplating an extra half a jar of sauce.
What have others tried? Maybe sauce on the side?
Loved this recipe!!!
Hi Sarah,
What I did was reheat the leftovers and mix a little sauce in – it was perfect! But adding extra before cooking should work too! So glad you enjoyed it!
Can’t wait to try this. Did you combine both pasta sauces together?
I just used one until gone then layered the other one! 🙂
Can I put the mix together the night before.. I am making for a work function or will the noodles get soggy in the fridge overnight
I don’t think they would get soggy but I’m not totally sure. Let me know how it goes!
I assembled it the night before and then cooked the next day. It was delicious!
Im glad u asked this and also answered it. Im looking for a vegatrain friendly thing to take to work but i have to asimble it the night before and cook it at work so lunch time it will be ready . Im going to add fresh zucchini to it cuz i have it comming out of my ears lol.
I prepped everything the night before and put it in the fridge, just added the pasta when I got to work. Potluck was late morning, so it had plenty of time to fully cook.
Do you know how many calories per serving?
Hi Amanda,
I do not provide nutritional information for my recipes, since it can vary based on brand and types of ingredients you use. There are helpful tools online like this one: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator if you would like to find out the exact calories for a recipe.
Most of the calories for this recipe would be from the pasta/cheeses, which do have caloric info.
YUMMA! Can’t wait to try this – do you think I could put this on low for about 8 hours? I’m thinking of having it cook while I’m at work (and to avoid eating it all myself haha!).
Hi Amber, I think that would work! It just might be a little extra done on the top 😉
Hi!
Kathy here…
I could not figure out how to comment on my own. Sorry for the piggyback.
I also put banana peppers in mine! Yummy!
Hi Kathy,
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, banana peppers sound delicious!
How did it turn out when you cooked it on low for 8 hours?
I don’t eat eggs what can I use as a substitute?
Hi, you can just omit the eggs but still use the cheese, just the texture will be a little different.
Use flax egg or aquafaba egg!
Could I add pre cooked Italian sausage? Thanks!
Hi Kara,
I don’t eat sausage so I haven’t tried this, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
Thanks!! Do you cook this dish on low? Thanks again!
Just saw the word high… Nevermind! 🙂
Hope you like it Kara!!
Most crock pot recipes you double the time if you want to cook it on low and the time given is high. so on low this recipe would take 4-6 hours
I added about a lb. Of precooked ground chuck…loved it.
I’ve always made mine in the oven before this but I add pepperoni sometimes and sausage others! Both are delicious!
Looks easy and tasty! Could you tell me how many servings this recipe makes?
Hi Vanessa! It fills a 5 quart sized slow cooker. It makes a large amount, I would guess around 8-12 servings, depending on the quantity per serving.
Hi joy you mentioned 15ozs of tomato sauce besides the 2jars of pasta sauce
What type of tomato sauce was it thank you
Maureen can’t wait to try
Hi Maureen,
The tomato sauce and pasta sauce can be any brand, as long as the ounces are the same. I think I just used plain hunt’s tomato sauce. I hope you enjoy it!
I doctor up Paul Newman sauces when the go on sale I buy several jars,
Best ever store bot sauce for me, but to each her or his own, plus his stuff after costs. Rest profits go to charitiestt
Hi Joy! Can you double the recipe? Do you think it will fit ?
Hi Amber!
A double would not fit in a normal crockpot. One of this recipe almost completely fills a 6 qt crockpot. If you make a double I would suggest using two crock pots!
Can this recipe be doubled and still come out tender enough and generally still as yummy? Feeding a crowd on Xmas. Also I want to add ground sausage…?? What do u think?
I would say you would need two crockpots! It would not fit doubled in one.
If you double the recipe is the cook time the same? I have a 7 quart pot. Also if u cook until done and then set to keep warm will this result in overcooked noodles?
I would not double this recipe if I were you. It barely fits in a 6 quart crockpot for me 🙂
Can I get away with using this recipe in a 4qrt cooker?
Hi Meg,
I would halve the recipe, I don’t think a full batch would fit.
The only crockpot I have is a 3 quart. Do I just use half the ingredients?
Yes that would work!