Description
Baked Rigatoni with Spinach and Ricotta is a comforting Italian dish that combines pasta, ricotta cheese, and spinach, perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 15 ounce ricotta cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Fold in the chopped spinach.
4. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the prepared baking dish. Add half of the cooked rigatoni, then spoon the ricotta-spinach mixture over the top. Top with the remaining rigatoni and pour the remaining marinara sauce over the pasta.
5. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbling.
6. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
For a lighter version, use part-skim ricotta and low-fat mozzarella. You can also use frozen spinach instead of fresh.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 80mg