Description
Rigatoni with Spinach Ricotta brings cheesy comfort straight from an Italian kitchen to your dinner table. Creamy ricotta and tender spinach mingle with perfectly cooked pasta, creating a simple yet satisfying meal your family will devour.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
Cheeses:
- 1.5 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Supporting Ingredients:
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- Fresh basil (optional)
- Fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of salted water. Drop 1 pound rigatoni pasta into rapidly bubbling water. Cook for 8-9 minutes until just shy of fully done. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté 3 minced garlic cloves for 45-60 seconds until aromatic. Add 4 cups chopped spinach and cook until completely wilted.
- Grab a mixing bowl and combine 1½ cups ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, 1 beaten egg, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon oregano. Fold in the warm spinach mixture until evenly distributed.
- Pour 3 cups marinara sauce into the empty pasta pot. Toss drained rigatoni through sauce until each noodle glistens with red coating.
- Spread half the sauced pasta across a 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer entire ricotta-spinach mixture over pasta. Top with remaining sauced pasta.
- Scatter remaining 1 cup mozzarella across the top. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Slide into a preheated 375°F oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil after initial baking. Return dish to oven for additional 10-15 minutes until cheese turns golden and edges bubble dramatically.
- Allow pasta to rest and settle for 7-10 minutes after removing from oven. Sprinkle fresh chopped basil on top if desired before serving.
Notes
- Always cook rigatoni slightly undercooked since it will continue baking in the sauce, preventing mushy pasta.
- Drain spinach thoroughly after cooking to avoid excess moisture that could make the dish watery.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute rigatoni with gluten-free pasta and ensure marinara sauce is gluten-free.
- Consider adding cooked Italian sausage or ground beef to the ricotta mixture for extra protein and flavor complexity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 429 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 505 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg