Description
Baked rigatoni with spinach and ricotta brings pure comfort straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Creamy ricotta and tender spinach blend perfectly with pasta, creating a satisfying meal that delivers warmth and flavor in each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings:
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Boil 12 oz rigatoni in salted water for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain pasta completely.
- Sauté 2 minced garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 60 seconds. Add thawed, drained spinach and cook until liquid evaporates.
- Whisk 15 oz ricotta, 1 egg, 1 cup Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Fold spinach mixture and cooked pasta into the cheese blend. Add 1 ½ cups marinara sauce and stir until well combined.
- Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese on top.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes at 375°F.
- Remove foil and continue baking for 10-15 minutes until cheese turns golden and edges bubble.
- Allow casserole to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Choose rigatoni with deep ridges to help sauce and cheese cling better to the pasta.
- Let the pasta cool slightly before mixing with other ingredients to prevent the egg from scrambling.
- Squeeze excess moisture from cooked spinach to keep the dish from becoming watery.
- For a protein boost, add cooked ground turkey or Italian sausage to the pasta mixture before baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 434 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg