Italian Beef & White Bean Ziti Bake

A comforting baked pasta dish featuring ziti combined with a rich tomato sauce, savory ground beef, white beans, fresh spinach, and plenty of melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 30 min
• Total: 55 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.57/serving

Dietary

• High-Protein
• High-Fiber
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Low-Sugar

Tags

• bake
• comfort food
• savory
• rich
• classic
• crowd-pleaser

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 1 pound ground beef (90/10 lean)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
• 6 ounce tomato paste
• 0.5 cup water
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 15 ounce cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
• 5 ounce fresh spinach
• 12 ounce ziti pasta (uncooked)
• 2 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded, part-skim)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the ziti pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in the cannellini beans and fresh spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.
5. Add the drained ziti pasta to the sauce and stir to combine evenly.
6. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Top with the remaining pasta mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and the grated Parmesan cheese.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

This ziti bake can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Cover with foil before baking and add 10-15 minutes to the cook time. Leftovers store well in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat easily in the microwave.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 791
• Protein: 48.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 75.8 g
• Fat: 28.4 g
• Fiber: 9.8 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Sugar: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg