Description
Baked rigatoni with spinach and ricotta became my go-to comfort dish when craving something hearty and satisfying. Creamy ricotta, tender spinach, and perfectly cooked pasta make this simple Italian classic a delightful weeknight dinner that your family will devour.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 3 cups marinara or tomato basil sauce
- 6 cups fresh spinach (or 1 package frozen, thawed and drained)
Cheese and Dairy:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
Seasonings and Supporting Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Salt 2 quarts of water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook 1 pound rigatoni for 8 minutes, ensuring pasta remains slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté 3 minced garlic cloves for 45 seconds until fragrant.
- Add 6 cups fresh spinach to the skillet. Stir continuously until leaves collapse and release moisture, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Combine 1 ½ cups ricotta, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a mixing bowl. Fold in cooled spinach mixture until evenly distributed.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce across the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Layer half the rigatoni across the sauce. Dollop half the ricotta-spinach mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layering with remaining pasta, ricotta mixture, and 1 additional cup of marinara sauce.
- Top the casserole with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 15-18 minutes until cheese turns golden and edges bubble.
- Allow casserole to rest 10 minutes before serving. Optionally garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- Always cook pasta slightly less than package instructions to prevent overcooking when baking, as it continues to soften in the oven.
- Squeeze excess moisture from cooked spinach before mixing with ricotta to keep the dish from becoming watery and maintain a creamy texture.
- Let the baked pasta rest for exactly 10 minutes after removing from the oven, which helps the layers set and makes serving easier without falling apart.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular rigatoni with gluten-free pasta and ensure your marinara sauce is also gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 451 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 563 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg