Crock Pot Baked Ziti with seasoned floor beef, melty cheese, ziti pasta and marinara. A tacky, comforting pasta dinner made in your sluggish cooker. Really easy!
A ten-MINUTE PREP RECIPE
If you’re craving a hearty, comforting meal with out the fuss, this Crock Pot Baked Ziti is the recipe for you. Now, I do know it may appear counterintuitive to prepare dinner one thing within the crock pot once you gotta prepare dinner the meat first. The advantage of this recipe is you don’t must prepare dinner the pasta as nicely. It’s going to prepare dinner within the sluggish cooker so it’s simply the meat you gotta take care of. Whereas you can also make it within the oven, I like the concept of doing it within the sluggish cooker as a result of as soon as I get it going, I can transfer on to doing different issues whereas it cooks and I don’t must hold checking on it like I might within the oven. However this will clearly be achieved within the oven when you desire.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Positive. Whereas I examined this recipe and designed it particularly for a Crockpot, you can also make a model of this within the oven. To do this, I recommend utilizing my Simple Baked Ziti recipe. Additionally value noting that if using cottage cheese is de facto bothering you, I take advantage of ricotta in that one (since we aren’t cooking it as lengthy).
Moreover, if you wish to use the Prompt Pot, I’ve an Prompt Pot Baked Ziti recipe and when you’re cooking for 2 individuals or might want slightly leftover, I’ve a Baked Ziti for Two recipe it’s possible you’ll desire.
I do know, I do know, I do know. Ricotta cheese is what is usually utilized in ziti. However, when it’s cooking low and sluggish within the Crockpot, ricotta simply doesn’t maintain up as nicely. It tends to dry out, leaving you with a cool texture that’s actually not very appetizing. Cottage cheese, however, retains the ziti creamy and moist whereas providing you with that very same scrumptious taste you like.
Positive, with the rising rising costs of beef, I do know all of us are attempting to chop again. You’ll be able to positively do this with this recipe. As an alternative of the 2 kilos of floor beef, you need to use only a pound of floor beef, or strive floor rooster or floor turkey for barely extra inexpensive choices.
Sure. You might spice issues up and use 2 kilos of Italian sausage as a substitute of floor beef (or considered one of every).
Crockpots can all be slightly completely different, so examine the pasta out after 2 hours to make sure you gained’t over bake it because the noodles will get mushy.
Nope. The wonderful thing about this recipe is you don’t must prepare dinner the pasta first. It’s going to prepare dinner within the Crock Pot. You’ll be able to definitely precook the pasta if that’s what you wish to do, however you then don’t want so as to add the extra water.
This may be refrigerated for 2-3 days in an hermetic container and may be reheated within the microwave.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- floor beef– please notice, whereas I made this with two kilos of floor beef, you do not need to. This seems simply superb with only one pound. You need to use all floor beef, floor sausage, floor turkey, or floor rooster no matter you will have readily available. Additionally, you need to use no matter fats stage of floor beef that you’ve got. If you happen to select one which has extra fats, simply make sure you drain off the surplus grease earlier than transferring on.
- minced garlic – the jarred stuff works superb right here.
- onion powder
- Italian Seasoning
- marinara sauce– you need to use no matter model you favor. Whereas I take pleasure in utilizing Rao’s Roasted Garlic (paid affiliate hyperlink), I don’t all the time use it as a result of I do know it may be expensive. Aldi’s Specifically Chosen Premium Marinara Sauce (not a paid affiliate hyperlink) is one other model I take advantage of. I’ve additionally been having fun with Hunts Garlic and Herb (paid affiliate hyperlink). It’s an ideal price range pleasant choice that tastes actually good. Most grocery shops carry it and it’s normally on the underside shelf. It’s slightly skinny, however has nice taste for the value. I’ve additionally been identified to simply use no matter sauce I can discover that’s low cost or one which I’ve a coupon for. Or you can also make your individual Home made Marinara Sauce!
- cottage cheese– earlier than you get your shorts in a bunch on why I take advantage of cottage cheese, hear me out. You need cottage cheese for this Gradual Cooker Baked Ziti. I do know many ziti recipes use ricotta cheese, and I do too, after I’m baking it within the oven. However, when it’s cooking for some time within the crock pot, it actually helps to make use of cottage cheese. The reason being, ricotta dries out a lot sooner over the time it spends within the sluggish cooker. It turns into a cool texture and is simply gross in my private opinion. I’ve tried it and none of us have loved it. The cottage cheese offers an analogous taste and provides the moisture it wants for this recipe to not be too dry. I additionally use this methodology in my Crock Pot Lasagna too. Lastly, in case you are nonetheless bent on utilizing ricotta, then by all means go for it.
- grated parmesan cheese – the type within the inexperienced bottle works simply superb!
- field raw Ziti pasta– I used ziti, however you need to use different shapes of pasta when you have smaller pasta that may work.
- shredded Mozzarella and Provolone cheese – I take advantage of a combo cheese right here however you need to use all mozzarella cheese.
- water – that is crucial for the pasta so don’t neglect so as to add it.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT BAKED ZITI:
Add the bottom beef to a big skillet,prepare dinner and crumble over medium warmth till brown and now not pink. Drain any additional grease. Add the minced garlic, onion powder and Italian seasoning to the pan. Stir and prepare dinner for about one minute till garlic is aromatic. Add the marinara sauce and water and stir to mix.
Style the sauce and add slightly salt and pepper if desired. Spray the within of a 6 quart crockpot with non-stick spray. Add 1/3 of the meat sauce to the underside of the crockpot. (You need to use both a ladle or a measuring cup to scoop the sauce from the skillet into the crockpot. Don’t fear about being actual.) Add 1/3 of the raw ziti noodles excessive of the sauce.
Add ½ of the cottage cheese excessive of the noodles. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese over the cottage cheese. Repeat steps by including 1/3 of the meat sauce, then 1/3 of the noodles, the REST of the cottage cheese and the opposite ½ cup of grated cheese. This time, add the remainder of the noodles and the remaining meat sauce ensuring all of the noodles are lined. It’s possible you’ll want to make use of a big spoon to push them down.
Cowl and prepare dinner on excessive for two.5-3 hours, or till the noodles are fork tender. When you will have roughly quarter-hour left to prepare dinner, sprinkle on the shredded cheese. Substitute the lid for the ultimate period of time whereas the cheese melts. End it off with a sprinkle of contemporary parsley, additional parmesan cheese and a crack of contemporary floor pepper. Serve with a aspect salad and a slice of garlic toast!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Add 2 kilos floor beef to a big skillet,prepare dinner and crumble over medium warmth till brown and now not pink. Drain any additional grease and add again to the skillet.
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Add 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning to the pan. Stir and prepare dinner for about one minute till garlic is aromatic.
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Add 24 ounce jar marinara sauce and 14 ounces water and stir to mix.
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Style the sauce and add slightly salt and pepper, to style if desired. Take off warmth.
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Spray the within of a 6 quart crockpot with non-stick spray.
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Add 1/3 of the meat sauce to the underside of the crockpot. (You need to use both a ladle or a measuring cup to scoop the sauce from the skillet into the crockpot. Don’t fear about being actual.)
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Add 1/3 of the raw ziti noodles excessive of the sauce.
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Add ½ of the cottage cheese excessive of the noodles.
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Sprinkle 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese over the cottage cheese layer.
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Repeat steps by including 1/3 of the meat sauce, then 1/3 of the noodles, the REST of the cottage cheese and the opposite ½ cup of grated cheese.
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This time, add the remainder of the noodles and the remaining meat sauce ensuring all of the noodles are lined. It’s possible you’ll want to make use of a big spoon to push them down.
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Cowl and prepare dinner on excessive for two.5-3 hours, or till the noodles are fork tender.
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When you will have roughly quarter-hour left to prepare dinner, sprinkle on 2 cups shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese. Substitute the lid for the ultimate period of time whereas the cheese melts.
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Non-obligatory: end it off with a sprinkle of contemporary parsley or dried parsley ,additional parmesan cheese and a crack of contemporary floor pepper.
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Serve with a aspect salad and a slice of garlic toast!
- Please seek advice from my FAQ’s (Often Requested Questions) and ingredient checklist above for different substitutions or for the solutions to the most typical questions.
- One pound of floor meat works simply superb with this recipe, you do not need to make some other changes. You might additionally use only one pound of floor beef and one pound of floor Italian sausage as nicely.
- This recipe may be achieved wherever between 2.5-3 hours of cooking.
- If you happen to prefer it saucier, strive utilizing a 32 ounce jar of marinara sauce.
- A serving of this recipe is 1 ½ cups.
Energy: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 35g | Fats: 29g | Sodium: 838mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g
“The Nation Prepare dinner” will not be a dietician or nutritionist, and any dietary data shared is an estimate. If calorie rely and different dietary values are necessary to you, we suggest operating the components by way of whichever on-line dietary calculator you favor. Energy and different dietary values can differ fairly a bit relying on which manufacturers have been used.
