Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe Rebel

This Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is made completely in the crockpot — even the pasta! It is so much easier than the traditional version but packs all of the same flavor! Includes step by step recipe video.

This Crock Pot Baked Ziti is obviously NOT baked. Though I suppose if you were really set on it you could stir in an egg and some ricotta (although Serious Eats isn’t upset my recipe’s lack of it), spread it into a baking dish and bake it.

Because this Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is all about finding easy, crockpot meals that my family loves, don’t use a whole pile of dishes and are relatively healthy and hearty.

Easier Than Pioneer Woman Baked Ziti: Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

That moment, often around 5:00, when you would normally be all like, “Riiiiiiiight…… dinner…..”, but instead you’ve got things totally under control.

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that figuring out how to cook pasta in the slow cooker was pretty life changing for me.

Ziti is not that easy to find around here, and since my “Baked” Ziti isn’t all that traditional in the first place, why cause a big fuss about it? (If you’re looking for another untraditional “Baked Ziti” recipe that doesn’t cook all day, trythis One Pot Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage!)

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe {video}

This Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is actually made completely in the crockpot — even the pasta! It is so much easier than the traditional version but packs all of the same flavor!

Calories: 385 cal | Carbohydrates: 39 g | Protein: 20 g | Fat: 15 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Cholesterol: 51 mg | Sodium: 988 mg | Potassium: 639 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 7 g | Vitamin A: 565 IU | Vitamin C: 16.1 mg | Calcium: 131 mg | Iron: 3.1 mg

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!This One Pot Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage is full of flavor but easy on the dishes! It’s made with turkey Italian sausage, spinach, tomato sauce and loaded with cheese — the perfect weeknight dinner! Includes step by step recipe video.

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe: How To Make It

If I had known that you love a good slow cooker pasta as much as I do (this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Chili Mac and Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper are two of my other favorites!), I would have done it long before.

I’ll have to admit, I figured that there would be immediate backlash because (a) it’s not baked, and (b) I didn’t even use ziti, but you guys seemed to forgive and go for it just because it’s a super easy, nutritious weeknight meal. Around here, “weeknight meals” are about all we can manage.

It has only taken me about a year, which is probably about average for how long it takes me to catch on to what you actually want to see here.

Easy Slow Cooker Dinners

For this version, I wanted to keep things simple and bump up the flavor, lose a few calories, and a pot or two. Since it’s 30 Minute Thursday here, we’re getting it done in one pot with no waiting (okay, hardly any!).

For this recipe, I used turkey Italian sausage instead of beef, I used crushed tomatoes and a whole whack of spices instead of jarred tomato sauce (although I won’t judge you if that’s all you have), I added some spinach (yay for sneaky greens!), and I used Rigatoni instead of Penne to try to trick you into believing I could actually find ziti around here (still — I cannot).

This is a meal we could eat over and over again, and I don’t even have to bribe my children to eat it. For me, that’s a big win! Plus, we all hate dishes, don’t we??

The Best Slow Cooker Pasta Recipes

Calories: 476 cal | Carbohydrates: 59 g | Protein: 29 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Cholesterol: 64 mg | Sodium: 928 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 7 g

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

If I had known that you love a good slow cooker pasta as much as I do (this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Chili Mac and Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper are two of my other favorites!), I would have done it long before.

I’ll have to admit, I figured that there would be immediate backlash because (a) it’s not baked, and (b) I didn’t even use ziti, but you guys seemed to forgive and go for it just because it’s a super easy, nutritious weeknight meal. Around here, “weeknight meals” are about all we can manage.

It has only taken me about a year, which is probably about average for how long it takes me to catch on to what you actually want to see here.

Easy Slow Cooker Dinners

For this version, I wanted to keep things simple and bump up the flavor, lose a few calories, and a pot or two. Since it’s 30 Minute Thursday here, we’re getting it done in one pot with no waiting (okay, hardly any!).

For this recipe, I used turkey Italian sausage instead of beef, I used crushed tomatoes and a whole whack of spices instead of jarred tomato sauce (although I won’t judge you if that’s all you have), I added some spinach (yay for sneaky greens!), and I used Rigatoni instead of Penne to try to trick you into believing I could actually find ziti around here (still — I cannot).

This is a meal we could eat over and over again, and I don’t even have to bribe my children to eat it. For me, that’s a big win! Plus, we all hate dishes, don’t we??

The Best Slow Cooker Pasta Recipes

Calories: 476 cal | Carbohydrates: 59 g | Protein: 29 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Cholesterol: 64 mg | Sodium: 928 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 7 g

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!