My neighbor shared this brilliant shortcut for spring family gatherings. Only 4 ingredients layered together. The thick melted cheese pull when you scoop it up is pure magic.

My neighbor down the street is the queen of spring potlucks, and she’s the one who first showed up with this slow cooker 4-ingredient baked ziti. I watched her scoop it out and everyone went quiet for a second because of that crazy thick cheese pull. It’s basically the lazy, weeknight-friendly cousin of traditional baked ziti: no boiling the pasta first, no long prep, just four simple ingredients layered into the slow cooker and left alone while you live your life. It’s perfect for family gatherings, soccer nights, or those days when you want something cozy and homemade without hovering over the stove.

I like to serve this slow cooker baked ziti with a big green salad tossed in a simple vinaigrette to balance the richness, plus warm garlic bread or a crusty baguette for scooping up the extra sauce and cheese. A side of roasted veggies (broccoli, asparagus, or green beans) works really well if you want to keep things on the lighter side. For gatherings, I’ll set it out buffet-style with a bowl of grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes so everyone can doctor their own bowl, and pour sparkling water with lemon or a light red wine alongside.

Servings: 6-8

1 (16-ounce) box uncooked ziti or penne pasta

Spray the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker lightly with nonstick cooking spray to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

Pour about 1 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread it out to cover the surface in a thin, even layer.

Add half of the uncooked ziti pasta in an even layer over the sauce. Try to spread the pasta out so the tubes aren’t all stacked in one spot; this helps everything cook more evenly.

Dollop half of the ricotta cheese over the dry pasta in small spoonfuls, scattering it around so each scoop of the finished dish gets some creamy bites.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the ricotta and pasta layer, making sure to reach the edges so you get that cheesy pull in every scoop.

Pour about half of the remaining marinara sauce over the cheese layer, using a spoon to gently nudge the sauce around so it seeps down into the pasta without fully stirring the layers together.

Repeat the layering: add the remaining uncooked ziti in an even layer, dollop on the rest of the ricotta, and sprinkle another 1 cup of mozzarella over the top.

Finish by pouring the rest of the marinara sauce over the layers, again gently spreading it so most of the pasta is coated or at least touched by sauce. Lightly press down with the back of a spoon to help the sauce settle around the pasta tubes.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the pasta is tender but not mushy. Avoid lifting the lid during the first 2 hours so you don’t lose heat and moisture.

Once the pasta is just tender, remove the lid and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella evenly over the top to create that thick, gooey cheese layer.

Cover again and cook on LOW for another 15 to 20 minutes, just until the mozzarella is fully melted and looks stretchy and bubbly around the edges.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the baked ziti sit, covered, for about 10 minutes to set slightly. Then scoop big spoonfuls straight from the slow cooker, making sure to dig down so you get layers of saucy pasta and that magical melted cheese pull on top.

If you want a little more flavor without adding extra ingredients, use a robust, herby marinara sauce or a spicy arrabbiata. For extra cheesiness, swap part of the mozzarella for an Italian blend or use a low-moisture, whole milk mozzarella for an even richer melt. You can also play with texture by using rigatoni instead of ziti; the bigger tubes catch more sauce and cheese. To prep ahead for a busy workday, layer everything in the slow cooker insert the night before, cover, and refrigerate. In the morning, set the insert into the slow cooker base and start cooking on LOW, adding 15–30 minutes to the cook time if it went in cold. If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking the pasta around the 2 1/4-hour mark so it doesn’t overcook. For serving a crowd at a spring gathering, double the recipe in a larger slow cooker, or make one batch earlier in the day and keep it on WARM while a second batch cooks; just give the pasta a gentle stir before adding the final top layer of cheese so it stays saucy and doesn’t dry out.