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!).

The creamy, sauce-y cheese ziti that you love, made in your slow cooker!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Unit: 24 ounce jars, clove, cup, ounce

Servings: 8

Calories: 478 kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

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

1. Add cream cheese, sour cream and ricotta to a mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixers until smooth. Stir in garlic and basil.
2. In a large bowl, combine both jars of pasta sauce, tomato sauce and water.
3. Add 2 cups of sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker
4. Top with about ⅓ of the uncooked penne.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Add the remaining uncooked penne. Top with the remaining sauce.
8. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, or LOW for 3 1/3 -4 hours or until pasta is tender.
9. 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!