Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe

When it comes to comfort food, there is nothing like a big plate of cheesy and meaty pasta!

I recently cooked up a big batch of tasty baked ziti in my slow cooker with a hearty tomato sauce, mushrooms and sausage.

I found this delicious recipe at The Recipe Rebel and adapted it a little by adding more oregano, some hot pepper flakes and some spicy Italian sausage.

If you don’t like spicy food, you can use mild sausage and leave out the hot pepper flakes.

Easy Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef, turkey or Italian sausage (I used spicy Italian sausage)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dried oregano
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 jar pasta sauce
• 1 box penne or ziti
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. In a skillet, cook ground beef or sausage until cooked through. Stir in garlic and onion and cook until onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant.
2. Add the beef mixture, oregano, tomatoes and pasta sauce to a large slow cooker. (And I do mean large — I almost didn’t have enough room in my slow cooker!) If you like, add some hot pepper flakes. Stir the ingredients well with a large spoon.
3. Cook the mixture on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
4. Add the pasta and mix it in, so it is covered by the sauce. Cover the slow cooker and continue cooking for 20-45 extra minutes (depending on how hot your slow cooker is). I checked first at 20 minutes and continued checking from there. You might want to try a ziti or two to see how soft it is. Stop cooking when the pasta is cooked to your liking.
5. Sprinkle the top of the ziti with cheese, cover the slow cooker and cook the ziti until the cheese is melted, about 3-5 minutes.
6. Serve the ziti and top it with extra shredded mozzarella or some fresh basil if desired.

Thanks for checking out this recipe! This recipe is one of my family's favorites!