Description
Spinach Ricotta Pasta Bake brings comfort right to your dinner table with creamy layers of cheesy goodness. Packed with fresh spinach and rich ricotta, this easy casserole becomes your go-to weeknight meal that feeds hungry families fast.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 250g pasta
- 300g spinach
- 250g ricotta cheese
- 200g mozzarella cheese, shredded
Sauce and Liquid:
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 350°F. Grab a baking dish that will comfortably hold all the pasta mixture.
- Cook 250g pasta in salted water until perfectly al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté until they release their aromatic essence.
- Toss 300g spinach into the skillet. Stir and cook until the leaves collapse and turn a deep, vibrant green.
- Mix the cooked pasta, sautéed spinach, 250g ricotta cheese, 1 cup marinara sauce, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Blend everything until evenly combined.
- Pour the creamy pasta mixture into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 200g shredded mozzarella cheese generously across the top.
- Slide the dish into the preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese melts into a golden, bubbling blanket.
- Remove from the oven and let the pasta rest for 5 minutes. This allows the sauce to settle and makes serving easier.
Notes
- Fresh spinach works best, but frozen spinach can be used if thawed and squeezed completely dry to prevent excess moisture in your dish.
- Grate your own mozzarella for a creamier, more even cheese topping that melts perfectly across the pasta.
- For a protein boost, mix in cooked chicken, ground turkey, or white beans before baking to make the meal more substantial.
- Dairy-free friends can swap ricotta and mozzarella for cashew cheese or nutritional yeast to create a similar creamy texture and flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg