Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti
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
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 52 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 11 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 56 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 22
- Heart Health
- 69
- Metabolic
- 36
- Digestive
- 24
- Inflammatory
- 41
- Performance
- 37
- General Wellness
- 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.
- Calories 586.74 kcal High 29%
- Protein 32.21 g Good Source 64%
- Carbohydrate 57.7 g 21%
- Total Fat 26.32 g High 34%
- Saturated Fat 12.74 g High 64%
- Trans Fat 0.17 g High --
- Cholesterol 88.81 mg High 30%
- Sodium 821.73 mg High 36%
- Dietary Fiber 4.66 g Moderate 17%
- Total Sugars 6.56 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 583.64 mg Good Source 45%
- Iron 4.66 mg Good Source 26%
- Potassium 706.1 mg Moderate 15%
- Vitamin A 150.0 mcg Moderate 17%
- Vitamin C 10.38 mg Moderate 12%
- Vitamin D 0.2 mcg Low Source 1%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
About This Recipe
Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti is made with 15 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Chopped Spinach, Crushed Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, and Fresh Mozzarella Cheese. Each serving provides about 586.74 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti made of?
- The main ingredients are Chopped Spinach, Crushed Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Garlic. The full list of 15 is above.
- How long does it take to make Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti?
- About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 35 mins to prepare and 40 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 586.74 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 15 ingredients and 8 steps.
- Is Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti healthy?
- Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti has an easyChef Pro health score of 41/100. Per serving, it provides 586.74 calories and 32.21 g of protein, or 64% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium and iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 821.73 mg (36% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 12.74 g (64% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes and Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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