Every April, when the paperwork piles up and supper sneaks up on you, this is the kind of meal that saves the day. I started calling it my poor man’s tax day bake because it uses dry manicotti tubes and just four other humble ingredients you can grab from the pantry and freezer. No stuffing, no boiling, no fussy steps—just lay those dry tubes right in the slow cooker, pour everything over, and let it quietly turn into a cozy, cheesy pasta bake while you tackle the rest of life. It leans on the same spirit as old Midwestern church suppers: simple ingredients, stretched to feed a family, and somehow tasting like you worked a whole lot harder than you did.
This slow cooker manicotti bake is hearty enough to stand on its own, but it’s lovely with a simple green salad dressed in vinegar and oil to cut through the richness. A side of buttered peas or green beans feels right at home on a Midwestern table, and if you have time, warm up some garlic bread or plain dinner rolls to scoop up the extra sauce. For a cozy touch, serve it right from the slow cooker on a trivet in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Tax Day Manicotti Bake
Servings: 6
Ingredients
12 dry manicotti tubes (about 8 ounces)
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
3 cups jarred pasta sauce (about 24 ounces)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups water
Directions
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with a little oil or nonstick spray. Lay the dry manicotti tubes in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker, fitting them snugly side by side. It’s fine if you need to break one or two to fill small gaps.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks, about 7–10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat so the sauce in the slow cooker doesn’t become greasy.
In a mixing bowl or large measuring cup, stir together the jarred pasta sauce and the water until evenly combined. This extra water is what lets the dry manicotti cook through right in the slow cooker.
Scatter the cooked, drained ground beef evenly over the dry manicotti tubes in the slow cooker, making sure most of the tubes are covered with some meat so the flavors soak in as they cook.
Pour the thinned pasta sauce mixture evenly over the beef and manicotti, making sure all of the tubes are covered with liquid. Gently press down any manicotti that are sticking up so they are mostly submerged. Do not stir.
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