SPINACH RICOTTA PASTA CASSEROLE
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Spinach Ricotta Pasta Casserole features baby spinach, tender ricotta, creamy mozzarella, and just a touch of red pepper making a perfect side dish or meatless main. Easily add chicken or sausage for a heartier meal.
I’m not sure whether to consider this as Cream Spinach with Pasta or Mac n Cheese with Spinach! 🤔It’s kinda both!
SPINACH RICOTTA PASTA CASSEROLE
This pasta has a creamy white sauce and three kinds of cheese: ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. It’s rich and decadent! As well, it’s a very simple and economical recipe. It’s hearty enough for a meatless main entree or you can add chopped chicken to it.
This casserole also reheats well if you have leftovers.
TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Cottage cheese is a good substitution for the ricotta in this recipe. As well, cottage cheese is usually cheaper.
I really prefer fresh spinach in this pasta, but you can use frozen. Thaw and drain frozen spinach really well before adding it to the pasta.
Baking is not necessary if you’re in a rush. Rather, you can mix the ingredients in a large pan (that has a lid). After you add the cheese on top, simply place the lid on the pan, reduce the stove to simmer, and give the cheese a few minutes to melt.
While you’re here, check out these recipes.
- Chicken Enchiladas in White Sauce
- Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
- 9 Wholesome Meals under 600 Calories
- Creamy Pasta with Ricotta and Tomatoes
- Dill Pickle Brined Pork Tenderloin
- Crock Pot Rotel Crack Chicken
- You can find more recipes at my Recipe Index
Spinach Ricotta Pasta Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or paprika if you don't like heat
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg freshly grated
- ¼ teapoon lemon zest
- salt and pepper to taste
- pasta water *You may not need it
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF
- In a mixing bowl stir together the Ricotta cheese and egg. Add in the Spinach and season with cayenne pepper, nutmeg, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Fold in the cooked pasta to the cheese mixture. Add pasta water a little at a time if needed to loosen up the cheese. Add 3/4 cup of the Mozzarella cheese.
- Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Cover the pasta with the remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and it's golden and bubbly. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
Made this today for dinner and we all loved it. Thank you for sharing. It’s a great dish.
Fantastic and gorgeous dish! I was looking to use up some ricotta and came across this. I added bacon and had pepperoni cheese from Aldi and omitted nutmeg and cayenne since I had a flavored cheese. The lemon zest added a brightness. Will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much! I’m happy you enjoyed it!
I haven’t made this yet, but it’s definitely on my to try list. However your receipe does not tell u the kind of past used. It looks like rigitoni.
If not, any suggestions .
Yes, it is rigatoni but you can use any short cut pasta.
So yummy! Great for leftovers. Simple and delicious!
I sautéed the spinach in a little oil with garlic then added it to the pasta. Holy moly! Delicious!! Thanks for the recipe! Also, great tip with the cottage cheese—helps in a pinch.
This is a casserole I haven’t tried.
This recipe looks great! I can’t wait to try it.
BTW, in case you don’t know, you may want to edit your blog because it says frozen pasta instead of frozen spinach:
“Thaw and drain frozen pasta really well before adding it to the pasta.”
oh Thank you!!
I love a good casserole! I promise that I totally hate cottage cheese, but when you use it in a casserole (especially with other flavors of cheese) you cannot tell it is not ricotta and around here, ricotta is twice the price at its cheapest. Great tip on the cottage cheese! Thank you, as usual, for another winner recipe. You make my life less stressful.💜
i don’t like to use cottage cheese as so many are allergic to it.