SLOW COOKER THREE CHEESE ZITI
Baked ziti has always been high on my list of favorite cheesy pastas. It’s usually my go-to if we’re ever eating at olive garden. It’s simple amazing, especially paired with their awesome breadsticks (here’s my homemade olive garden breadsticks, in case you want to make them yourself!).
This one has even more cheesy-ness going on than the other. It’s reminds me of my favorite slow cooker lasagna recipe in the way that everything is layered in the crock pot. I love how the noodles are added, uncooked, straight from the box. You don’t have to cook or pre-prep anything before making this.
Slow Cooker Three Cheese Ziti
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
The creamy, sauce-y cheese ziti that you love, made in your slow cooker!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: crockpot ziti, ziti pasta, ziti recipe
Unit: 24 ounce jars, clove, cup, ounce
Servings: 8
Calories: 478 kcal
Ingredients
2 24 ounce jars marinara pasta sauce
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup water
16 ounces UNCOOKED ziti pastas (or penne)
4 ounces cream cheese , softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
2 cloves garlic , minced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves , chopped
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Add cream cheese, sour cream and ricotta to a mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixers until smooth. Stir in garlic and basil.
In a large bowl, combine both jars of pasta sauce, tomato sauce and water.
Add 2 cups of sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker
Top with about ⅓ of the uncooked penne.
Dot on half of the ricotta mixture and use a spoon to gently spread it out evenly. Top with 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese.
Add another 2 cups of sauce. Top with ⅓ of the uncooked penne. Add remaining ricotta mixture and spread. Sprinkle on the remaining 3/4 cup parmesan cheese.
Add the remaining uncooked penne. Top with the remaining sauce.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, or LOW for 3 1/3 -4 hours or until pasta is tender.
During the last few minutes, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese to the top, and return the lid of the machine to allow it to melt. After mine melted I stuck it under the broiler of my oven for 2 minutes to make the cheese golden and bubbly, but you don’t have to!
Recipe Notes
Be sure the ziti noodles are covered by the sauce so they cook appropriately.
I use a 6 qt. slow cooker! Anything that size or larger will work perfectly!
source : tastesbetterfromscratch.com