Description
Million Dollar Crock Pot Baked Ziti is a rich and delicious slow cooker pasta casserole layered with ground beef, creamy cheese mixtures, and savory pasta sauce. Perfect for a hands-off meal that satisfies the whole family with tender ziti noodles and melted mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
Meat
- 2 lbs. lean ground beef
Cheese Mixture
- 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (minced)
Main Ingredients
- 48 oz. jar pasta sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 16 oz. box uncooked ziti noodles
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until fully browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat thoroughly.
- Mix the cheese filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese, minced garlic, and fresh parsley until smooth and well blended.
- Layer the first half: In the bottom of a 7 or 8-quart slow cooker, spread half of the pasta sauce evenly. Add half of the uncooked ziti noodles over the sauce layer.
- Add ground beef and cream cheese mixture: Spread half of the browned ground beef over the pasta layer, then spoon half of the cheese mixture on top without stirring it into the beef.
- Repeat layering: Add another layer of the remaining pasta, ground beef, and cream cheese mixture in the same order as before.
- Add water: Pour 1/2 cup of water evenly around the edges of the ziti layers to help cook the pasta evenly in the slow cooker.
- Cook: Cover with the lid and slow cook on low heat for 3 hours.
- Stir and check pasta: After 3 hours, remove the lid carefully and stir the mixture to combine. Check if the pasta is tender. If not tender, recover and continue cooking for one more hour on low.
- Add mozzarella cheese: Once pasta is tender, sprinkle 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of the ziti. Recover to allow the cheese to melt.
- Serve: When the mozzarella is fully melted, serve the baked ziti hot and enjoy your comforting, cheesy crock pot meal.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef to reduce excess fat and grease in the dish.
- Softened cream cheese blends more easily into the sour cream and ricotta for a creamy texture.
- Make sure to drain the browned beef well to avoid a greasy casserole.
- Check pasta tenderness to avoid undercooked noodles; slow cooker brands and heats vary.
- Fresh parsley adds a bright flavor but can be substituted with dried parsley if necessary.
- This dish can be prepared ahead and refrigerated before cooking for convenience.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free if needed.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
