Baked Ziti with Sausage and Spinach
A hearty baked ziti featuring ziti pasta, crumbled Italian sausage, fresh spinach, and creamy ricotta cheese, all mixed with marinara sauce and baked until bubbling and golden.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot For cooking pasta
- 1 Large Skillet For cooking sausage
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Baking Dish Approximately 9x13 inch
Ingredients
Main
- 1 package of Severino Ziti
- 1 jar of Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce
- 2 cups of spinach
- 1 lb of mild italian sausage
- 1/2 cup of whole milk ricotta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook ziti according to package directions, slightly less than al dente; drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the mild Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces.
- Drain excess fat from the sausage.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and spinach into the skillet with the sausage. Cook until spinach is wilted.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked ziti, sausage-sauce mixture, and ricotta cheese.
- Pour the mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until bubbling and lightly browned.
Notes
Brown the sausage thoroughly before combining with sauce. Cook the ziti al dente, as it will continue cooking in the oven. Wilt the spinach directly into the hot sauce mixture or with the sausage to save a step. For a richer flavor, you can add a little mozzarella or parmesan cheese to the ricotta mixture or sprinkle on top before baking.