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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Slow Cooker Baked Ziti With Mushrooms and Spinach

    Published: Jul 29, 2015 Modified: Jan 3, 2020 by Kristin King / This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe | Pin Recipe

    Delicious slow cooker pasta dish with a nutritional boost from mushrooms and spinach!

    Close up view of slow cooker baked ziti garnished with herbs in a white bowl.

    Here's another slow cooker recipe for you! My slow cooker is my BFF. I use it at least once a week, sometimes 2 or 3 times a week!

    You can also make a similar recipe to this one that only requires 30 minutes: my Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Pasta!

    The family's #1 favorite slow cooker recipe is my Easiest Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice. That one is a guaranteed winner, every time I make it!

    Up to this point, the #2 favorite spot was held by my Crockpot Cheeseburger Casserole. But now, Slow Cooker Baked Ziti has moved into the #2 spot, bumping Crockpot Cheeseburger Casserole down to #3!

    Close up of a fork holding a piece of slow cooker baked ziti with mushrooms and spinach with more in a white bowl.

    It did take me a couple of tries to get this just right. It is easy to overcook the ziti and then you are left with Pasta Mush. It is not a bad-tasting dish, but not the best aesthetic, either.

    To avoid Pasta Mush, you want to start with uncooked ziti noodles. Which works out great, because it effectively eliminates a recipe step AND another pot to wash. Hooray!

    The second tip is to be careful with your timing. Normally there will be a wide window of cooking time for slow cooker recipes. For this one, I found that it was done at the 4 hour mark, and if I let it go for more than 5 hours, I had Pasta Mush.

    So set that timer for 4 hours, and try to serve it fairly soon after it is done for the best results!

    Close up shot of baked ziti with mushrooms and spinach garnished with herbs in a white bowl with forks on the side.

    This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    Slow Cooker Baked Ziti with Mushrooms and Spinach

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    Close up shot of slow cooker baked ziti with mushrooms and spinach garnished with herbs in a white bowl with forks.

    Slow Cooker Baked Ziti With Mushrooms and Spinach

    Recipe Author: Kristin
    Delicious slow cooker pasta dish with a nutritional boost from mushrooms and spinach!
    4.67 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email Bookmark Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 hours hrs
    Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Course Entree
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8
    Calories 382 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 12 ounces ziti noodles (1 box)
    • 16 ounces ricotta cheese (1 container, can be low-fat)
    • 2 egg whites
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese
    • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 48 ounces spaghetti sauce (2 jars, divided)
    • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
    • 10 ounces fresh spinach (1 bag)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
    • In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg whites, Parmesan cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, salt, and pepper.
      16 ounces ricotta cheese, 2 egg whites, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
    • Cover the bottom of the slow cooker with about half of the ziti noodles.
      12 ounces ziti noodles
    • Pour about 2 cups of spaghetti sauce over the top and spread evenly with a spoon.
      48 ounces spaghetti sauce
    • Distribute about half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce and spread evenly.
    • Place the mushrooms on top of the ricotta, and then the spinach.
      8 ounces sliced mushrooms, 10 ounces fresh spinach
    • Place remaining noodles on top, then spread another 2 cups of sauce, then spread the remaining ricotta cheese mixture.
    • Pour the remaining sauce on top and spread evenly.
    • Cook on low for about 4 hours. No more than 5!
    • About 5 minutes before serving, remove lid and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over top. Replace the lid and let the cheese melt before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 842mg | Potassium: 757mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4135IU | Vitamin C: 16.5mg | Calcium: 352mg | Iron: 2.9mg

    Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.

    Want to make cooking even easier?Sign up here to receive FREE DBH exclusive content, including my favorite kitchen shortcuts and hacks, and unlock access to the DBH resource library with many other free downloads!

    Side shot of slow cooker baked ziti garnished with herbs in white bowl with forks in the background.

    Thanks for stopping by. Before you go, you might be interested in these products!


    And check out my Dizzy Busy and Hungry store on Amazon for some great kitchen products I love!

    Enjoy!
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Katie

      July 20, 2023 at 9:53 am

      Love this recipe! So delicious! Have you freezed this before? If so what are the steps for reheating?

      Reply
      • Kristin King

        July 20, 2023 at 10:18 am

        Hi Katie, I'm so glad you like this recipe! Yes, I have frozen this and it went fairly well. First I cooled it completely on the counter, then I placed it in an airtight freezer-safe container and placed it in the refrigerator to cool it even further for a few hours. Then I placed it in the freezer. You can store it there for 3 months or so. When ready to use it, transfer the container to the fridge and allow the ziti to thaw overnight or longer. Once thawed it can be reheated at 350 degrees F in the oven for 15-30 minutes, loosely covered with foil to prevent drying out (start checking at 15 minutes to see if it is hot yet).

        Reply
    2. Christine @ myblissfulmess.com

      December 30, 2021 at 11:11 am

      5 stars
      This dish is extremely easy and quick to put together. Comes out PERFECT! No mushy noodles. Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Kristin

        December 30, 2021 at 12:30 pm

        Yay, so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    3. Kim~madeinaday

      August 08, 2018 at 11:00 am

      Great tips to avoid mush! Sharing! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
      Kim

      Reply
    4. Judee

      November 05, 2017 at 5:07 am

      Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I like to make baked ziti when I have company and this would certainly make it alot easier. I would even let people help themselves from the crock pot. Perfect for holiday parties...

      Reply
    5. Dorothy

      April 29, 2017 at 3:16 pm

      My husband loves this recipe! Just make sure to spin the spinach and dry off the mushrooms as much as possible to prevent the ziti from getting too soupy.

      Reply
      • Kristin King

        May 01, 2017 at 5:39 am

        Good tip, thanks! I am glad your husband likes it! 🙂

        Reply
    6. dorothy

      March 30, 2017 at 2:45 pm

      can you cook on high for two hours instead?

      Reply
      • Kristin King

        March 31, 2017 at 6:14 pm

        I have not actually tried that, Dorothy. Sorry! I have only tried it on low. You could give it a shot, but just make sure you have a backup plan in case it doesn't turn out! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Mel Farrell

      March 26, 2017 at 12:20 pm

      what size slow cooker works best for this?

      Reply
      • Kristin King

        March 26, 2017 at 6:16 pm

        I use a 5 quart slow cooker. I have to kind of pack it in because the fresh spinach takes up a lot of room, but it cooks down pretty fast. Let me know if you have any other questions!

        Reply
    8. Marlene Stindle

      October 30, 2016 at 6:19 pm

      This sounds really good, but I would add cooked Italian sausage and green pepper! Thanks

      Reply
    9. Jenny

      February 15, 2016 at 3:17 pm

      Where the noodle supposed to be cooked when you put them into the crockpot?

      Reply
      • Kristin King

        February 15, 2016 at 5:29 pm

        No, the noodles should not be cooked when you put them in. If they are, they will be complete mush when done. Although it will be very tasty mush! 🙂

        Reply
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    👋 Hey there, I'm Kristin! As a full-time working wife and mom, my life is such a whirlwind, it makes me dizzy sometimes! So I have been working to develop quick, easy, family-friendly recipes for 20+ years, and this site is where I share them with you! Happy cooking!

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