This Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake is SO easy to make. Full of delicious cheese flavours and on the table in under 30 minutes with NO sauce making.
Are you ready for your new favourite pasta dish?
Enter.. Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake of dreams.
I LOVE Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed pasta shells or cannelloni 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 shortcut tomato mixture on top (no tomato sauce cooking) and here it is, my dream midweek meal.
✅ All. That. CHEESE!
✅ So super easy, no sauce cooking required.
✅ Vegetarian and complete with 2 of your 5 a day.
What I used to make this Spinach and Ricotta Pasta recipe:
Pasta – I used Rigatoni, but you could use whichever shapes you have to hand.
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.
Ricotta – You can use low fat ricotta if you prefer but the sauce may be a little less creamy.
Parmesan Cheese – Parmesan cheese is optional, but I try and use it if we have it available as it adds a lovely flavour. Grana Padano is a good, slightly cheaper alternative to Parmesan.
Tinned tomatoes – Use good quality tinned tomatoes, they make the whole dish!
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.
Chilli flakes – Please add this even if you think you don’t like spice, it just adds a lovely warmth.
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.
How to make this Spinach and Ricotta Pasta bake:
This recipe is made in three easy steps:
- 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.
- Meanwhile mix up the ingredients for the tomato topping and spoon over the pasta mixture.
- Add more cheese and bake. That’s it!
Tips for making this Pasta Bake recipe:
- Check the pasta and spinach pack cooking instructions, in case either say less or more than 10 minutes.
- If using fresh spinach, do not boil for 10 minutes, just add to the pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes before draining.
- If you would like a wetter, creamier sauce, you can use 2 packs of ricotta instead of 1, so 500g.
- 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 in a sieve, very quickly to get the majority but not ALL of the water out.
- This dish is vegetarian if using vegetarian versions of the cheeses.
Fancy some other easy pasta recipes? How about:
- Creamy Sausage Pasta (all cooked in one pan, you guys give this RAVE reviews)
- Tuna Salad with Pasta (so easy and kids LOVE it)
- Chicken Pesto Pasta (a classic and always a fave, plus, HOW pretty?!)
- Tuna Pasta Bake with Cheesy Topping (another children favourite, great store cupboard standby)
Hope you enjoy this recipe. I’d love to know how you got on and what you thought of it if you make this.
Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ on the recipe below!
Also, if you fancy showing me a photo by tagging me on Instagram (@tamingtwins) I LOVE to see your creations and try and share as many of them as I can.
Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g Dried pasta shapes
- 450 g Fresh spinach Or frozen if you prefer, 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 recipe 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 for 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach 1 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 ricotta 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.
Notes
- Check the pasta cooking time and adjust accordingly in case it is longer than the 10 minutes mentioned above.
- If using frozen spinach, boil for a full 10 minutes with the pasta.
- If you would like a wetter, creamier sauce, you can use 2 packs of ricotta instead of 1, so 500g.
- Parmesan cheese is optional, but I try and use it if we have it available as it adds a lovely flavour. Grana Padano is a good, slightly cheaper alternative to Parmesan.
- 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 in a sieve, very quickly to get the majority but not ALL of the water out.
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 🙂