Crockpot Baked Ziti Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1.5 pounds hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups ziti
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced

Prep the slow cooker

Fold two strips of aluminum foil (18″×4″) and line the inside perimeter of the slow cooker. Spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.

Brown the sausage & aromatics

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer.

Add 1.5 pounds of Italian sausage (with casings removed). Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until well browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the chopped onion and cook until it turns lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes.

Stir in the minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper, continuing to cook until the mixture becomes aromatic, roughly 1 minute.

Toast the pasta & add sauce

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 8 ounces of ziti to the pot and stir continually until the pasta edges become somewhat translucent, around 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and mix in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared slow cooker, cover, and cook on LOW until the pasta is tender, which should take about 3 hours.

Finish with cheeses

Using tongs, remove the foil collar from the slow cooker and gently stir the pasta.

Dollop 1 cup of ricotta cheese over the top and sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella.

Cover and let the slow cooker sit for 20 minutes to allow the cheeses to melt completely. Garnish with the thinly sliced fresh basil before serving.