Italian White Bean & Spinach Ziti Bake

A comforting and protein-packed baked ziti dish featuring tender pasta, creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, fresh spinach, and cannellini beans, all enveloped in a savory tomato sauce.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 50 min
• Total: 1 hr 15 min
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.79/serving

Dietary

• Vegetarian
• High-Protein
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• Pescatarian
• High-Fiber

Tags

• bake
• comfort food
• savory
• rich
• kid-friendly
• budget-friendly

Ingredients

• 8 ounce ziti pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
• 0.5 cup vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 15 ounce cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
• 10 ounce fresh spinach
• 15 ounce ricotta cheese (part-skim)
• 8 ounce mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

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. Drain well.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the cannellini beans and fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the sauce from heat.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.
6. In a large baking dish (9x13 inch), spread about one-third of the tomato sauce. Layer half of the cooked ziti pasta over the sauce. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, then sprinkle with one-third of the remaining shredded mozzarella.
7. Repeat the pasta, ricotta, and mozzarella layers. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and then the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the sauce is heated through. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat beautifully. For a creamier texture, you can add a splash of milk or cream to the ricotta mixture.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 670
• Protein: 45.7 g
• Carbohydrates: 65.2 g
• Fat: 25.5 g
• Fiber: 10.4 g
• Sodium: 1280 mg
• Saturated Fat: 12.3 g
• Sugar: 12.8 g
• Cholesterol: 65 mg