Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Italian Ziti
Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) ground beef or Italian sausage
1 jar (24 oz / 680 g) pasta sauce (your favorite marinara)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 oz (340 g) uncooked ziti pasta
(Optional: Parmesan, Italian seasoning, parsley for topping)
Instructions
Cook the meat
In a skillet, brown the ground beef or Italian sausage over medium heat. Drain excess grease.
Layer in slow cooker
Add the cooked meat to the slow cooker. Pour in the pasta sauce and stir well.
Add uncooked pasta
Stir in the uncooked ziti pasta. Add about 2–2½ cups of water (just enough to mostly cover the pasta).
Cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours or until pasta is tender. Stir once or twice if possible.
Add cheese
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top during the last 15–20 minutes of cooking. Cover again until melted.
Serve
Top with Parmesan or parsley if desired and serve hot.
