Spinach & Ricotta Pasta Bake
A comforting baked pasta dish combining creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and nutritious spinach, perfect for family dinners or meal prep.
Ingredients
Pasta Ingredients
- 300 g ziti pasta (uncooked, or other short pasta of choice)
- 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, or more for topping)
- 500 g ricotta Note 1
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 350 g frozen chopped spinach (thawed and excess liquid pressed out)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 700 g tomato passata (1 standard bottle) Note 2
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
Seasoning and Other Ingredients
- ¾ tsp salt & pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried Italian Mixed Herbs Note 3
- ½ tsp dried chili flakes (to taste, optional)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp water (if needed)
- Black pepper
- Parmesan cheese (grated, for topping)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Pour out about 1/4 cup of the passata to make room to add flavorings. Add the remaining Pasta Sauce ingredients into the bottle, screw the lid on, and shake.
- Cook pasta for the time per packet MINUS 1 minute.
- Scoop out 1 mugful of pasta cooking water, drain, and set aside.
- Mix Ricotta Mixture ingredients in a very large bowl, using a splash of pasta cooking water if needed to make it creamy.
- Add pasta to the ricotta mixture and stir to combine. Transfer to a heatproof baking dish.
Assembly
- Top with Pasta Sauce, then top with cheese. Loosely cover with foil.
Baking
- Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serving
- Serve hot and fresh with a green salad or garlic bread.
Notes
You can make this recipe a day in advance and store in the refrigerator before baking. If using fresh spinach, sauté it until wilted. This dish can also be made vegan using plant-based substitutes.