Description
A comforting and easy baked ziti recipe made in the crock pot with ground beef, marinara sauce, ricotta, and melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a hands-off dinner that’s hearty and delicious.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups marinara sauce
1 cup water
12 ounces dry ziti pasta
15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
Drain excess fat from the cooked ground beef and transfer it to the crock pot.
Add marinara sauce and water to the crock pot and stir to combine with the beef.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
Add dry ziti pasta to the crock pot and stir to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce mixture.
Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta in the crock pot.
Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
About 15 minutes before serving, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese over the top, cover, and let the cheese melt.
Stir gently before serving to combine the cheese layers and pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours