Slow Cooker Baked Ziti (sometimes called crockpot lazy lasagna). Here’s the full, from-scratch recipe to match what’s in your photo — hearty meat sauce, tender pasta, and melty cheese on top.

🍝 Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce:

1 lb ground beef (or half beef, half Italian sausage)
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sugar (optional, balances acidity)

Pasta & Cheese:

12 oz ziti or penne (uncooked)
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
2 cups water or beef broth
Fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Instructions

1️⃣ Brown the Meat

In a skillet over medium heat:

Cook ground beef and onion until browned.
Drain excess grease.
Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Add marinara, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Simmer 5 minutes.

2️⃣ Mix Ricotta Layer

In a bowl combine:

Ricotta
Egg
Parmesan
Mix until smooth.

3️⃣ Layer in Slow Cooker

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.

Layer in this order:

Thin layer of meat sauce
Half the uncooked pasta
Half the ricotta mixture (drop spoonfuls)
1 cup mozzarella
Half remaining sauce

Repeat layers.

Pour 2 cups water/broth evenly around edges (do NOT stir).

4️⃣ Cook

Low: 4–5 hours
High: 2–3 hours

Pasta should be tender and liquid absorbed.

5️⃣ Final Cheese Melt

Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.
Cover and cook 10–15 minutes until melted.

Garnish with parsley.

🔥 Tips for Perfect Texture

Don’t overcook — pasta can get soft.
If sauce seems thick halfway through, add ¼–½ cup hot water.
For extra creamy texture, add 4 oz cream cheese to ricotta mix.

Make It Even Better

Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes for heat.
Stir in ½ cup heavy cream to the sauce for richness.
Use fresh shredded mozzarella (melts better than pre-shredded).

If you’d like, I can also give you:

A no-ricotta version
A 5-ingredient super easy version
Or an oven-baked traditional baked ziti recipe 😊