Easy Baked Ziti

Name: Easy Baked Ziti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 4 cups marinara sauce; 2 cups ricotta cheese; 1 2 garlic cloves; 1 tablespoon lemon zest; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ¾ teaspoon sea salt; 1 freshly ground black pepper; 1 1 pound ziti pasta; 1 extra-virgin olive oil; 1 1 pound fresh spinach; 1½ cups grated mozzarella cheese; ¼ cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese; 1 chopped fresh parsley and/or torn basil leaves

Prep: 15 minsCook: 30 mins

Prep

15 mins

Cook

30 mins

Servings

Difficulty

Medium

VegetarianNut-FreeEgg-Free

(0)

When I'm looking for a weeknight dinner that doesn't require much fussing, this easy baked ziti is my go to. The whole thing comes together in under an hour, and most of the work is just mixing ingredients and letting the oven do the heavy lifting. I love how the creamy ricotta mixture pairs with the tangy marinara, and the fresh spinach sneaks in some wonderful nutrients and greens without making you feel like you're eating health food. Best of all, it's incredibly budget friendly and uses mostly pantry staples, so you can throw it together with what you probably already have on hand.

Ella x

Ingredients

Servings:

946 mlmarinara sauce((32 ounces))
473 mlricotta cheese((16 ounces))
12 garlic cloves(minced)
1 tablespoonlemon zest
1 teaspoondried oregano
¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes
¾ teaspoonsea salt
1freshly ground black pepper
11 pound ziti pasta
1extra-virgin olive oil(for drizzling)
11 pound fresh spinach
237 mlgrated mozzarella cheese
¼ cupgrated pecorino or parmesan cheese
1chopped fresh parsley and/or torn basil leaves(for garnish)

Detail level

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread ½ cup marinara in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, garlic, lemon zest, oregano, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper.
3
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
4
Return the pot back to the stove. Over low heat, drizzle the bottom of the pot with a little olive oil and add the spinach. Toss and sauté 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted, working in batches if necessary. Turn off the heat, remove the spinach from the pot, and gently squeeze out some of the excess water. Coarsely chop it and set aside.
5
Add the pasta back to the pot along with the remaining marinara, most of the chopped spinach, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, and several grinds of pepper and toss until combined.
6
Add half the pasta to the baking dish, top with dollops of the ricotta, the remaining spinach, and scoop the remaining pasta on top. Top with the mozzarella and pecorino cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until the cheese is browned, 16 to 22 minutes.
7
Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve hot.

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