Description
Baked rigatoni with spinach and ricotta combines Italian comfort with creamy, herbal elegance. Cheesy pasta layers promise a satisfying meal that draws you into a warm culinary embrace, delivering pure Mediterranean home-style deliciousness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound (454 grams) rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente
- 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup fresh spinach, lightly sauteed
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 375°F and coating a rectangular baking vessel with a light protective layer to prevent sticking.
- Craft a robust flavor foundation by blending thoroughly cooked rigatoni with vibrant marinara sauce, softened spinach leaves, aromatic garlic powder, earthy oregano, and essential seasoning components.
- Construct the initial pasta landscape in the baking dish, strategically positioning creamy ricotta dollops across the surface and dispersing a generous layer of mozzarella cheese.
- Replicate the layering technique with remaining pasta mixture, ensuring an even distribution of ricotta and continuing the mozzarella cascade.
- Crown the culinary creation with a final flourish of mozzarella and sharp Parmesan cheese, creating a tantalizing golden crust.
- Transfer the assembled dish into the preheated oven, allowing the cheese to transform into a bubbling, molten masterpiece through 20-25 minutes of intense heat exposure.
- Permit the baked rigatoni to rest and settle for a brief interval, enabling flavors to harmonize and structural integrity to stabilize before presenting this comforting Mediterranean-inspired entrée.
Notes
- Swap traditional pasta with whole wheat or gluten-free rigatoni for a healthier alternative that maintains the dish’s delicious profile.
- Enhance nutritional value by adding protein-rich ingredients like cooked chicken, ground turkey, or white beans directly into the pasta mixture.
- Maximize flavor by sautéing fresh spinach with garlic and red pepper flakes before mixing into the pasta, which intensifies the overall taste and aroma.
- Reduce dairy content for lactose-sensitive individuals by using plant-based ricotta and mozzarella alternatives without compromising the creamy texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg