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Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti

3

0 min

Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti

Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti Photo 1

Category

Pasta Recipes

Time

0 min

Serving

8 persons

Calories

491

Rating

3.00★ (1)

Cuisine

Author: Victoria Buriak
This sausage and spinach baked ziti gets extra flavor from ricotta and Parmesan cheese and is easy to put together. Add a garden salad and garlic bread to complete dinner.

Ingredients

  • ziti pasta: 1 pound
  • olive oil: 1 Tbsp
  • ounces bulk Italian sausage: 10 piece
  • tomatoes: 1 can (28 ounce can, divided, crushed)
  • garlic: 3 clove (minced)
  • italian seasoning: 0.5 tsp
  • red pepper flakes: 0.25 tsp (crushed)
  • 1/2 cups spinach: 1 piece (chopped)
  • ounces ricotta cheese: 15 piece
  • heavy cream: 2 Tbsp
  • ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes: 8 piece (divided)
  • ounces shredded Parmesan cheese: 6 piece (divided)
  • granulated garlic: 0.25 tsp
  • salt: 0.25 tsp (to taste)
  • basil, or as needed: 1 Tbsp (for garnish, chopped, optional)

Metric Conversion

Stages of cooking

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  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
    Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti Photo 2
  2. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in ziti and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until they just start to become tender, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
    Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti Photo 3
  3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and cook and stir Italian sausage, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until it is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes and pour remaining tomatoes into sausage. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and spinach. Cook for 10 minutes.
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  4. Combine ricotta, heavy cream, 4 ounces cubed mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese, and garlic granules in a bowl. Season with salt.
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  5. Add the cooked sausage mixture and ricotta mixture to the pasta and toss well. If mixture seems too thick, stir in reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time.
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  6. Spread the reserved 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes into the bottom of the casserole dish. Pour half of pasta in an even layer over tomatoes and top with 1/2 of the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining pasta and cheese.
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  7. Bake ziti in the preheated oven until cheese is lightly golden brown and pasta is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.
    Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti Photo 8

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