Have you ever tried the Pioneer Woman baked ziti? I love Ree Drummond. She has a fantastic website, a Food Network show, cookbooks, and more.
So, when I looked up easy baked ziti and found her recipe, I was excited to try it out. In the end, I wouldn’t exactly call the Pioneer Woman baked ziti easy.
Delicious?
Yes.
Easy?
No.
With three grade-school children, a toddler, and twin infants, I am one busy momma. So, when I’m looking for easy, I want it really easy.
Although I enjoyed the Pioneer Woman baked ziti, I set off to make my own easy baked ziti recipe.
Since the crockpot has been one of my favorite kitchen appliances lately and we’ve been having delicious meals without too much extra effort, enter this slow cooker baked ziti any busy mom can make. My family loves it, and I love that it’s so simple.
Keep reading for our easier than Pioneer Woman baked ziti recipe.
Table of Contents
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
The first thing about slow cooker baked ziti is to know how utterly simple it is. You dump all of the ingredients and press start. But you may be wondering if you can cook everything in this one-pot.
Can you cook pasta in a slow cooker?
Yes.
You can absolutely cook raw pasta in a slow cooker. The important aspect of cooking pasta in a crockpot, or otherwise, is that you don’t want to overcook your pasta.
Follow these helpful tips to cook pasta in a slow cooker:
- Follow the recipe. Use the exact pasta the recipe calls for, without adding extra liquid ingredients.
- Add the pasta raw without rinsing or precooking.
- When going rouge, use the right kind of pasta. Some kinds of pasta cook faster than others. Ziti can manage longer cook times while macaroni softens faster.
- Repeatedly check the pasta for doneness near the end of the cooking time to avoid mushiness.
What You Need for Easy Baked Ziti
- 1 box ziti (uncooked)
- 48 ounces marinara sauce
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1 package Omaha Steaks meatballs (or other frozen meatball variety, can use vegetarian as well!)
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
Easier Than Pioneer Woman Baked Ziti
Making this baked ziti is so easy I let the kids do it with me—even our toddlers. Of course, Aria is one of the first to jump up and help me out.
Start with a clean, empty slow cooker and follow these simple instructions.
Easy Baked Ziti Recipe:
- Add a box of uncooked ziti noodles.
- Add a minimum of 48 oz. of your favorite red sauce.
- Add a 15 oz. container of ricotta cheese.
- Add about 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Pro-tip: You can stop here if you wish and have a super easy finished product, or add the following optional items for a more robust and flavorful meal.
- Add a package of frozen Omaha Steaks meatballs.
- Add 2 tbs of minced garlic.
- Add 2 tbs of Italian seasoning.
- Stir all of the ingredients together.
- Cover your slow cooker, and cook on high for 2 hours (or on low for 4 hours).
Simple Baked Ziti Recipe Video
Check out this simple baked ziti recipe video. You can see first-hand how truly simple it is.
Final Thoughts on Easier Than Pioneer Woman Baked Ziti
That’s it. Easy, right?
My family loves this meal. And although you can’t start this in the morning and go to work, it’s still way less intensive than many other afternoon options.
Dump everything in the pot and it will be ready to serve in just a couple of hours without ANY other effort!
If you like this recipe, I think you will enjoy our other crockpot meals. I know we will be having our slow cooker beer brats for the big game.
Our slow cooker Barbacoa beef tacos are another great option to feed a large family!
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti with Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried ziti pasta
- 48 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 package frozen meatballs
Instructions
- Coat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Add the uncooked ziti noodles, marinara, ricotta, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, meatballs, garlic and seasoning. Stir well to combine.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Cover and cook until the pasta is cooked through and the cheese is melted, on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 780Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 2588mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 10gSugar: 21gProtein: 40g
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This Slow Cooker Baked Ziti recipe sounds like a total lifesaver! I love how simple and delicious it looks—perfect for busy weeknights. Can’t wait to give it a try! Thanks for sharing!
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This Slow Cooker Baked Ziti recipe looks delicious and so easy to pull together! I love that it simplifies the process while still delivering that comforting, cheesy goodness. Can’t wait to try it out for my family dinner! Thanks for sharing!
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I’m so excited to try this Slow Cooker Baked Ziti recipe! It sounds delicious and perfect for busy weeknights. I love that it’s easier than the Pioneer Woman version. Thanks for sharing such a simple and family-friendly meal idea!
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