For a busy individual like myself, I live on slow cooker recipes! Yeah, I am so glad that you can just easily add all the ingredients in one container and let it do its thing. This cheesy baked ziti is one of the recipes that I love cooking. It’s very hassle-free and my kids love it! The flavours in this dish are superb! Meaty, cheesy, and creamy! It doesn’t get any better than that! I have listed all the steps. They will guide you to perfection. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1/2 brick (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 pound of ground beef, cooked
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs basil, chopped
2 (24 oz.) jars marinara sauce
1 (16 oz.) jar tomato sauce
1 cup of water
16 oz. ziti pasta, uncooked
1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, add in the sour cream, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, chopped basil, and garlic. Stir using a hand mixer until well combined.
Step 2: In a separate mixing bowl, add in the tomato sauce, marinara sauce, water, and cooked ground beef. Stir until well mixed.
Step 3: Prepare a slow cooker. Add in 2 cups of tomato sauce. Place 1/2 of the ziti pasta over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese mixture on top of the pasta. Spread it evenly. Finally, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Step 4: Repeat the procedure until all the ingredients are layered inside the slow cooker. Spread tomato sauce over.
Step 5: Close the slow cooker and cook for 2 to 3 hours on high setting.
Step 6: Open the slow cooker and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese over. Close and cook for another 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted completely.
Step 7: Serve hot and enjoy! Bon Appetit!
