This Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake is a wonderful easy pasta recipe that’s on the table in less than 30 minutes, with oozes of creamy, cheesy flavour and utterly satisfying.
This vegetarian pasta dish is ideal for a midweek family dinner – there’s zero fuss here. Just hearty goodness and delicious vegetarian dinner. You don’t even have to make a sauce!
Are you ready for your new favourite pasta dish? Enter.. Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake of dreams.
I LOVE Ricotta and Spinach cannelloni or stuffed pasta shells, but honestly? Who has got time to faff about stuffing a pasta shell on a weeknight (or possibly any time?)
Always looking for a shortcut, I tried just flinging everything in and it is blooming DELICIOUS. Add a cheat tomato mixture on top (no tomato sauce cooking needed) and here it is… my dream midweek veggie meal.
I love the combo of spinach and ricotta so much that I also created a slow cooker version – Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne (really worth a try if you love the convenience of slow cooking!)
Why you’ll love this Spinach and Ricotta Pasta recipe
⭐️ All. That. Cheese!
⭐️ Super easy and no sauce cooking required.
⭐️ Vegetarian and features 2 of your 5 a day
About this Spinach and Ricotta Rigatoni
I have made this recipe with rigatoni but you can choose whichever pasta you prefer. I love serving up vegetarian pasta dishes throughout the week because they’re a nice way to reduce meat intake, are such good value for money and help us to be a little more creative with flavours.
Creamy pastas are a thing of wonder, and they often taste so much more special than the effort reflects. This is especially true if you’re turning it into a pasta bake too, which involves the ability to prep it ahead of time, and not having to make an elaborate sauce.
My other favourites include Tuna Pasta Bake, Meatball Pasta Bake and Chicken & Bacon Pasta Bake.
Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Ingredients
- Pasta – I like rigatoni in this recipe but choose your favourite or what you have in.
- Spinach – I use frozen LEAF (not chopped, it changes the texture) and add it to the pasta to cook. If you’d prefer to use fresh, just add it to the pasta about 1 or 2 minutes before you drain it, to wilt.
- Tinned tomatoes
- Garlic powder – Be sure to use garlic POWDER not garlic SALT. Very different!
- Dried oregano – You can use fresh if you prefer, but you will need to double the amount.
- Honey – You can use a bit of sugar if you don’t have any.
- Dried chilli flakes – Please add this even if you think you don’t like spice, it just adds a lovely warmth.
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Ricotta cheese – You can use low fat ricotta if you prefer but the sauce may be a little less creamy.
- Mozzarella – I used that pre grated Mozzarella for this (rather than buffalo mozzarella) as it’s quick and easy to sprinkle. You can use whichever you have.
- Parmesan cheese – Parmesan cheese is optional, but I try to use it if we have it available as it adds a lovely flavour. Grana Padano is a good, slightly cheaper alternative to Parmesan.
- Fresh basil – To garnish
How to make Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake
1. Boil your pasta with the frozen spinach until only just cooked. (Be sure not to overcook the pasta as it will cook a little more in the oven.) Drain and mix up with the cheeses.
2. Meanwhile, mix up the ingredients for the tomato topping and spoon over the pasta mixture.
3. Add more cheese and bake for 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
4. Sprinkle with fresh basil to serve.
Substitutions
- Vegan – If you’d like this as a vegan pasta recipe, use a dairy-free alternative to the cheeses.
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 days.
Can you reheat Spinach and Ricotta Pasta? Reheat fully in the microwave or on the hob with a dash of water before serving.
Can you freeze Spinach and Ricotta Pasta? I’m not a big fan of pasta from the freezer, but all that said, it’s still edible when defrosted and reheated fully. It can just go a bit squishy and overcooked, so it’s down to your personal preference.
Top tips for making this pasta with Spinach and Ricotta recipe
Cooking the pasta
Check the pasta and spinach pack cooking instructions in case either say less or more than 10 minutes.
Spinach
If you’re using fresh spinach, do not boil it for 10 minutes. Just add it to the pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes before draining.
To get creamier sauce
If you would like a wetter, creamier sauce, you can use two packs of ricotta instead of one (so 500g).
Keep some water
When you drain the pasta and spinach, allow a little water to remain. This tasty, starchy water will make a sauce with the ricotta. To do this, I tend to just drain it in a sieve very quickly to get the majority, but not ALL, of the water out.
FAQs
Really this is a one-stop-shop easy recipe that’s a full meal on its own, so requires no further effort.
However, if you want to add a few extras to make it go further or because you’re entertaining, you could serve this with a side salad or garlic bread.
Yes, my recipe does involve pre-boiling the pasta beforehand. I know some pasta bake recipes don’t but trust me on this one.
I have tried and tested this recipe to make sure it’s just right, and this way gets the best results by far.
I sure do! Try my Butternut Squash & Halloumi Orzo Bake, my Slow Cooker Feta & Tomato Pasta, my Easy Macaroni Cheese or my One Pan Tomato Spaghetti.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g Dried pasta
- 450 g Fresh spinach See notes.
For the tomato sauce:
- 800 g Tinned tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Tomato puree
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Dried oregano
- 1 tbsp Honey Or sugar if you prefer.
- 0.5 tsp Dried chilli flakes Or more, to taste.
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For the ricotta sauce:
- 250 g Ricotta cheese See notes.
- 100 g Mozzarella Grated.
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 50 g Parmesan cheese Grated (optional).
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For topping:
- 150 g Mozzarella Grated.
To garnish:
- 20 g Fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C.
- Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes.
- IF USING FROZEN SPINACH: Add spinach in with the pasta for 10 minutes.IF USING FRESH SPINACH: Add fresh spinach 2 minute before the pasta is cooked and allow to wilt in the water before draining everything.
- Meanwhile, open the tinned tomatoes and drain the liquid from them using a sieve.
- Add all of the other tomato sauce ingredients to the drained tomatoes and stir well.
- When the pasta and spinach are cooked, drain the majority of the water (see recipe notes).
- Add the cheese sauce ingredients and stir thoroughly, but gently. Pour into a casserole dish.
- Top with the tomato mixture and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Pop into the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.
Nina says
Hi stumbled cross your blog today, looking forward to trying out lots of your recipes! Which frozen spinach did you use? also where did you obtain the garlic powder. I can only find blue granules (not the same) or brooch salt. Thanks,
Nina says
Should have read garlic granules!
Hannah says
Really tasty and easy – the whole family loved it.
Trudie says
Very tasty and oh so simple to make! Thank you!
Chloe Stevenson says
So tasty everyone enjoyed it, is now a family favourite
Katy says
Absolutely love this pasta! Super easy to make and a big hit in our house
Katy says
Only thing I would say, is I think there’s a typo in the recipe. It’s says 1tbsp of honey / sugar but I’m pretty sure it’s meant to be 1tsp. X
Chanel says
Easy to cook and tastes delicious. Thank you for such a lovely recipe.
Orla says
This is really tasty. The tomato sauce is full of flavour with such little work.
Luci says
Absolutely bloody delicious! So easy to make, went down so well with everyone. I could have eaten all of it myself! Thank you for another great recipe! Slowly working my way through them all 😊
Lynne Williams says
This is the second time i have prepped this dish.My partner and freiend loved it last time so wanted to watch how easy it is to make.Lets hope this one is as delish as last.Thankyou for your recipe.Lynne
Heather says
We loved this recipe so easy to make and so tasty, thank you.
Janis says
Absolutely gorgeous and so easy to make! No faffing about and enough leftovers for my lunch the next day…win win. 🙂 Thank you Sarah. X
Sarah says
So easy to make but oh so tasty!
Jackie says
Another great recipe. Quick, easy and tasty.
Jayne says
I love your blog and have tried lots of your recipes but have a question. Can you tell me which mozzarella you use to grate or do you buy the ready grated kind. We don’t have Aldi in Northern Ireland but do have lidl. Thank you for all your hard work, which I am sure is appreciated by so many, especially in these times.
Sarah Barnes says
Hi Jayne, yes I often buy the ready grated mozzarella as it’s drier so better for some recipes! Thanks for your kind words 🙂
Grace says
Just had it today, it really really sauce and very easy to do it. Really thank you for the recipe and will definitely cooking again. So so yummy
Samantha says
Lovely dinner, I couldn’t find ricotta so used cottage cheese and it came out well. I also added some frozen peas.
Alison says
Delicious, enjoyed by all the family
Naomi says
Another winner of a recipe ! Tasted great and such a comforting dish 🙂
Jane says
Husband said it’s the best vegetarian dish he’s eaten outside of Italy. Thank you for the great recipes.
Sam says
Have done this a few times now and this last time used frozen spinach and actually preferred it to fresh, bought the frozen leaf spinach from tesco and a bag is big enough to make this twice and cheaper then fresh.