Description
This Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake is a comforting, cheesy casserole perfect for a family dinner. It features tender pasta and spinach bathed in a creamy ricotta sauce, topped with a flavorful tomato sauce and golden melted mozzarella. The recipe is easy to prepare and bakes to perfection with a delightful blend of Italian-inspired herbs and cheeses.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta and Spinach
- 250 g (9 oz) Dried pasta
- 450 g (1 lb) Fresh spinach (or frozen spinach, see notes)
Tomato Sauce
- 800 g (28 oz) Tinned tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Tomato puree
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Dried oregano
- 1 tbsp Honey (or sugar if preferred)
- 0.5 tsp Dried chilli flakes (or more, to taste)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Ricotta Sauce
- 250 g (9 oz) Ricotta cheese
- 100 g (4 oz) Mozzarella, grated
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 50 g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Topping
- 150 g (5 oz) Mozzarella, grated
To Garnish
- 20 g (4 tsp) Fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 200C (400F) to prepare for baking the pasta dish later.
- Cook the pasta and spinach: Boil salted water, add the pasta, and cook for 10 minutes. If using frozen spinach, add it at the beginning with the pasta. For fresh spinach, add it 2 minutes before the pasta is done to allow it to wilt.
- Prepare the tomato sauce: Drain the liquid from the tinned tomatoes using a sieve. Mix the drained tomatoes with tomato puree, garlic powder, oregano, honey, chilli flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Drain pasta and spinach: Drain most of the water quickly, leaving a small amount of starchy water to keep the mixture moist for the ricotta sauce.
- Make and combine the ricotta sauce: Add ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella, garlic powder, optional Parmesan, salt, and pepper to the pasta and spinach. Stir thoroughly but gently to combine without breaking the pasta.
- Assemble in casserole dish: Transfer the pasta and ricotta cheese mixture to a casserole dish. Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining grated mozzarella cheese.
- Bake: Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese topping is golden and bubbling.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven, sprinkle fresh basil on top, and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Check the pasta package for cooking times and adjust if necessary, especially if your pasta requires longer than 10 minutes.
- If using frozen spinach, boil it for the full 10 minutes with the pasta. If fresh, add it just 1-2 minutes before finishing to wilt.
- For a creamier sauce, double the amount of ricotta cheese to 500 g (1.1 lb).
- Parmesan cheese is optional but adds great flavor. Grana Padano can be used as a more affordable substitute.
- When draining, leave a little pasta water to help create a creamier sauce with the ricotta.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 761 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 1009 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 77 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
