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Spinach Ricotta Pasta Bake
marie

Spinach Ricotta Pasta Bake

This Spinach Ricotta Pasta Bake is creamy, comforting, and baked to golden perfection. With tender pasta, a luscious ricotta–spinach filling, and a flavorful shortcut tomato sauce, it’s an easy, crowd-pleasing meal perfect for busy weeknights or cozy gatherings.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta Base
  • 300 g ziti pasta uncooked
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
Ricotta & Spinach Filling
  • 500 g ricotta cheese full-fat recommended
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 350 g frozen chopped spinach thawed and well-drained
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.75 teaspoon salt and black pepper or to taste
Shortcut Tomato Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 700 g tomato passata
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian mixed herbs
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried chili flakes optional
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
  2. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until just shy of al dente. Reserve some pasta water, then drain.
  3. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, crushed garlic, spinach, mozzarella, salt, and pepper until creamy.
  4. Add the cooked pasta to the ricotta mixture and stir gently to coat. Loosen with a splash of pasta water if needed.
  5. Pour tomato passata into its bottle, add olive oil, garlic, herbs, seasonings, and sugar. Shake well to combine.
  6. Transfer the pasta mixture to a greased baking dish. Pour the sauce evenly over the top.
  7. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  8. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden.
  9. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Drain spinach thoroughly to avoid a watery bake. Use full-fat ricotta for the creamiest result. You can add mushrooms or cooked chicken for extra substance, or broil briefly at the end for deeper browning.