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Crockpot Pasta dished out on white plate topped with parmesan and basil. B
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4.76 from 25 votes

Crockpot Baked Ziti

With a rich homemade sauce, tender pasta, and lots of gooey cheese, this hands-off recipe for crockpot ziti proves that yes, you can make perfect pasta in the crockpot.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 hours
Total Time5 hours 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8
Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Spaghetti Sauce

  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 2 cups water or chicken stock, vegetable broth, or beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

For Crockpot Pasta

  • 1 cup water or chicken stock, vegetable broth, or beef broth
  • 16 ounces ziti or rotini
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated

Instructions

  • Combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 cups of water, oil, honey, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in the base of a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Note: If using jarred sauce, simply combine 28 ounces of your favorite spaghetti sauce with 1 cup of water and cook on low heat for 1 hour.
    Ingredients for spaghetti sauce in crockpot after slow cooking but before adding pasta.
  • After 4-5 hours, remove the lid and add the remaining 1 cup of water along with the pasta of choice, cottage cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine.
    Cottage Cheese, pasta, and cheese in spaghetti sauce inside slow cooker.
  • Cover, turn the slow cooker to high, and cook for 25 minutes for regular pasta and 45 minutes for whole grain pasta, or until pasta is tender, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Once the pasta is tender, finish with Parmesan cheese and serve.
    Perfectly cooked ziti in spaghetti sauce inside slow cooker.

Video

Notes

Add Meat: Feel free add cooked and crumbled ground beef or Italian sausage to the slow cooker when adding pasta.
Cottage Cheese: Do NOT use fat-free cottage cheese, as it will water down the sauce. You may also replace the cottage cheese with ricotta cheese if desired. 
Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze in freezer-safe container for up to 1 month in the freezer. Let defrost in refrigerator if needed, then reheat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl, covered with a damp paper towel, in 60-second intervals until warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 815mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 15.2mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 3.2mg
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