Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti

Name: Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1.5 cups Chopped Spinach; 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes; 1 bunch Fresh Basil; 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese; 3 cloves Garlic; 0.25 tsp Garlic Powder; 2 tbsp Heavy Cream; 10 oz Italian Pork Sausage; 0.5 tsp Italian Seasoning; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 0.25 tsp Red Pepper Flakes; 15 oz Ricotta Cheese; 1 dash Salt; 6 oz Shredded Parmesan Cheese; 1 lb Ziti Pasta

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 Italian 🇮🇹 High-Protein 💪Sugar-Free Comfort-Food

Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti layers al dente pasta with a hearty sausage-tomato sauce, a ricotta blend enriched with cream, and plenty of melty mozzarella and Parmesan. It bakes to a bubbly, golden top with pockets of spinach and gentle heat from red pepper flakes. Ideal for a cozy weeknight dinner or a crowd-friendly weekend bake.

Prep35 mins
Cook40 mins
Serves8
DifficultyMedium

1

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2

Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Stir in ziti and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to turn tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
3

Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring, the Italian sausage, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes.
4

Set aside 1/3 cup of the crushed tomatoes and pour the remaining tomatoes into the sausage. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and spinach. Cook for 10 minutes.
5

In a bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream, 4 ounces cubed mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese, and garlic granules. Season with salt.
6

Add the cooked sausage mixture and the ricotta mixture to the pasta and toss thoroughly. If the mixture seems too thick, stir in the reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time.
7

Spread the reserved 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes over the bottom of the casserole dish. Pour in half of the pasta in an even layer over the tomatoes and top with 1/2 of the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with the remaining pasta and cheese.
8

Bake the ziti in the preheated oven until the cheese is lightly golden brown and the pasta is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.