Description
A comforting, slow-cooked baked ziti made with layers of pasta, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella, perfect for weeknight dinners or potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ziti or any tubular pasta
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 16 oz whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/2 cup sautéed mushrooms, 1/2 lb browned Italian sausage, or 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
- 2–3 tbsp reserved pasta water or broth
Instructions
- Cook ziti until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and toss with a little olive oil.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and butter, sauté chopped onion until translucent, then add minced garlic.
- In the slow cooker, layer marinara, half the pasta, dollops of ricotta, half the sautéed aromatics, half the mozzarella, sprinkle of Parmesan and herbs. Repeat layers, finishing with extra mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
- Pour reserved pasta water or broth over the top, season with salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Cook on low for 2-3 hours, checking at 90 minutes. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Always undercook the pasta slightly. Sauté aromatics for better flavor. Use the right pot size to prevent drying out.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 180 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: baked ziti, slow cooker, comfort food, pasta, Italian
