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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Baked Ziti with Spinach

    Published: Nov 29, 2020 · Modified: Mar 29, 2022 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 885 words. · About 5 minutes to read this article.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Baked Ziti with Spinach by The Toasty Kitchen
    Baked Ziti with Spinach by The Toasty Kitchen
    Baked Ziti with Spinach by The Toasty Kitchen

    If you're looking for an easy comfort food casserole, give this baked ziti with spinach a try. It's filled with layers of pasta, marinara sauce, and spinach, with a gooey, cheesy layer of ricotta in the middle.

    Wooden spoon scooping ziti from a casserole dish.

    Baked ziti makes a perfectly unfussy, uncomplicated meal. It doesn't require any special assembly skills - it is messy, cheesy, saucy, and delicious.

    The entire family will love this baked ziti. Plus, it's filled with nutrition-packed baby spinach, making it just a little bit healthier than your average casserole.

    And since it's made with just a few simple ingredients, it is quick to prepare and toss in the oven. Make baked ziti for a weeknight meal with the family, or enjoy leftovers by yourself all week long.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    Ingredients on a counter top.
    • Pasta - Ziti can be substituted with rigatoni or penne, as long as you use the same amount in weight. For this recipe you'll need one 16 ounce box.
    • Baby spinach - Can be substituted with regular spinach , kale, or chard if desired.
    • Marinara sauce - I used a homemade marinara sauce, but any store bought marinara or spaghetti sauce you have on hand will work. Most store bought jars range in size from 24 to 28 ounces - any will work in this recipe.
    • Cheeses - You'll need shredded mozzarella, freshly shredded parmesan, and ricotta cheeses.
    • Seasoning - Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning add flavor to your baked ziti. Homemade Italian seasoning or store bought works well. Italian seasoning can be substituted with a combination of Italian herbs you have on hand, like oregano, basil, marjoram, rosemary, and sage.
    Assembling pasta layers in a casserole dish.

    What size pan to use

    For this recipe, you'll need a 3 quart baking dish. I recommend using a 9x13 casserole dish.

    If needed, you can also separate your baked ziti between two smaller baking dishes, about 1 ½ to 2 quarts in size, like two 8x8 square pans.

    Can I make this ahead?

    Baked ziti with spinach can be assembled up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. You can either cook your noodles ahead and store them, or completely assemble your casserole and store.

    Make sure it is covered and tightly sealed while refrigerating. Transfer it from the refrigerator to the counter top while your oven preheats.

    A white casserole dish filled with pasta, tomato sauce, spinach, and cheese.

    How to prevent a dry baked ziti

    No one wants a dry baked ziti! Let's take a look at a few of the common reasons why baked ziti can turn out dry, and how to prevent it.

    • Not enough sauce - make sure you're using about 24 ounces of marinara sauce. You can even add up to a cup of extra sauce if you'd like a very saucy casserole!
    • The pasta wasn't cooked long enough on the stove top. If the pasta is undercooked, it will continue cooking in the oven, soaking up moisture in the casserole.
    • You forgot/omitted the cheese topping - this helps to insulate your pasta and prevent it from drying out on top.
    • The casserole was baked for too long - 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit should be long enough to warm your casserole.
    • If you're reheating your casserole straight from the refrigerator, it will likely need an additional 10-15 minutes of baking time. I recommend covering with foil for half of your baking time to prevent drying out.

    If your casserole looks dry on top - maybe some of the pasta was exposed without sauce or cheese - simply give your casserole a stir before serving. This will incorporate the dry noodles into the sauce and cheese layers below.

    📖 Recipe

    Wooden spoon scooping ziti from a casserole dish.
    Print Recipe
    4.71 from 31 reviews

    Baked Ziti with Spinach

    If you're looking for an easy comfort food casserole, give this baked ziti with spinach a try. It's filled with layers of pasta, marinara sauce, and spinach, with a gooey, cheesy layer of ricotta in the middle.
    Prep Time20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time30 minutes minutes
    Total Time50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 438kcal
    Author: Heather

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces ziti, uncooked
    • 4 cups baby spinach
    • 24 ounces marinara sauce
    • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
    • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
    • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • In a stock pot, bring salted water to a boil and add ziti. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain well.
    • In a large bowl (or the stock pot used to prepare your pasta), add cooked ziti, spinach, and marinara sauce. Toss to coat and set aside.
    • In a separate bowl, add ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and half of your mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine.
    • In a 9x13 baking dish, add half of your ziti mixture and spread into an even layer. Next, add all of your ricotta mixture and spread into an even layer. Top with remaining ziti mixture. Sprinkle top of casserole evenly with reserved mozzarella cheese.
    • Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted across the top and casserole is bubbling around the edges.

    Equipment Recommendations

    • Emile Henry 9x13 Stoneware Baking Dish
    • Stainless Steel 8-Quart Stock Pot
    • 9" Fine Mesh Strainer
    • Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls

    Notes

    • Baked ziti can be assembled up to a day ahead. Cover and store, unbaked, in the refrigerator. Remove casserole from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature while oven preheats and follow directions above for baking.
    • Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
    • To make this dish vegetarian-friendly, look for a parmesan cheese made with vegetable rennet, or labeled as vegan/vegetarian parmesan cheese.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 922mg | Potassium: 577mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2255IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 363mg | Iron: 2mg
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American

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    1. SuzanneLee

      June 04, 2023 at 5:10 pm

      I tried it! It’s delicious. It was a huge hit. I didn’t have fresh spinach so I used frozen spinach and heated it in the bag in the microwave. I put about a cup and a half into the ziti mixture and it looked pretty. Everything else was according to your specs. It’s baking in the oven now so I’ll come back and let you know how it tastes!
      Thanks,
      Suzanne aka TwoCatMomma

      Reply
    2. Patti

      May 15, 2023 at 1:11 pm

      Could you replace the ricotta with Boursin herb cheese?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Heather

        May 15, 2023 at 4:18 pm

        I haven't tried this recipe with Boursin cheese so I can't say for sure how it would turn out. However, a quick google search says that Boursin can be a good substitute for ricotta, so if you give it a try let us know how it goes!

        Reply
    3. Mary

      March 02, 2023 at 4:49 pm

      Very simple and delicious! I did add some cooked hamburger to the marinara for the hubby but that was it. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Cheryl K Novak

      December 06, 2020 at 10:13 am

      Can I add ground turkey to the baked ziti and spinach bake?

      Reply
      • Heather

        December 06, 2020 at 10:15 am

        Sure! You can add cooked and crumbled meat to the sauce if desired.

        Reply

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    Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

    Hi, I'm Heather of The Toasty Kitchen. I love cooking with real, unfussy ingredients, and I want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

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