Who said that you always need an oven to bake? With the help of your very own slow cooker, you can now bake in the comfort of your home without spending much time, money, or effort. And this cheesy baked ziti recipe is the best example of how beautiful that is.
You might be wondering if it will still have all the flavors that a regular baked meal has- and we are telling you now that it does! It still packs in all mouthwatering, cheesy, meaty flavor.
The best thing about this is it’s an effortless meal to cook, your beloved crock-pot will do the cooking and baking for you.
It is best for all the busy moms out there. You can cook this delicious food and still have the time to do other things at home. Isn’t that amazing?
It is a must-try and a must-taste! A mouth-watering meal that the family will definitely love!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 a brick (4 oz.) of cream cheese, softened to room temp.
- 1 pound of ground beef (cooked)
- 1/4 cup of sour cream
- 1/2 a cup of ricotta cheese
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 3 sprigs basil (chopped)
- 2 (24 oz.) jars of marinara sauce
- 1 (16 oz.) jar of tomato sauce
- 1 cup of water
- 16 oz. ziti pasta (uncooked)
- 1 ½ cups of shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
The measurements indicated per ingredient are ideal for a regular-sized Crock-pot.
You may still alter the measurements according to your preference. Also, if you have other ingredients to add, feel free to do so.
Note: If you are gathering the ingredients for whatever recipe, it is always best to pick the freshest of the fresh. For the processed ingredients, try to pick those that have the farthest expiration date.
Procedure:
- Use a medium-sized mixing bowl or any container. Then add the sour cream, garlic, cream cheese, ricotta, and chopped basil. Use a hand mixer to stir these ingredients. Mix thoroughly until they are all well combined.
- Next, in a different mixing bowl, add the cooked ground beef, tomato sauce, marinara sauce, and water. Stir them until they are well mixed.
- Pour 2 cups of the tomato mixture into the slow cooker.
- Then, add the ziti pasta on top of the tomato mixture, and sprinkle ½ of the cheese mixture on top of it.
- Add more Parmesan cheese on top of the cheese mixture.
- Repeat the steps until all the ingredients are used up and are arranged into layers.
- Cover your slow cooker and cook it for 2 to 3 hours on High.
- Open your slow cooker and then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top and cook it for another 15 minutes or until all the cheese has completely melted.
- Enjoy!
It is always best to dine together with your family, friends, and loved ones.
Crock-pot recipes
During these trying times, you only have limited to no access to establishments that offer delicious food from different cuisines. That leaves you with no other choice than to do it yourself (DIY) and that’s not a bad thing at all. Because of that, you get to discover easy-to-make meals that you didn’t know before.
Thanks to these slow cooker recipes all over the internet, people are now enjoying sumptuous dishes. Slow cookers are life-savers and it’s also a good substitute for an oven (if you don’t own one).
This slow cooker cheesy baked ziti is just another addition to the countless yummy pasta dishes that we already have today.
Go ahead and try it, then let us know what you think!
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