Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake

The recipe Sunday was sausage spinach pasta bake — pasta shells layered with crumbled Italian sausage, sauteed spinach, ricotta, marinara, mozzarella. Baked at 375 for thirty minutes covered, ten uncovered.

The recipe is below.

Sausage Spinach Pasta Bake

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
• 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. Cook the pasta. Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions, cooking just until al dente (about 1 minute less than the package says). Drain and set aside.
3. Brown the sausage. In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
4. Build the sauce. Add the minced garlic to the sausage and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the marinara sauce and chicken broth, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer. Season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
5. Add the spinach. Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for 2 minutes, just until wilted.
6. Combine everything. Remove from heat. Add the drained pasta and ricotta to the skillet and stir until everything is evenly coated. Fold in 3/4 cup of the mozzarella.
7. Top and bake. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish if not already oven-safe. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan evenly over the top. Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden at the edges.
8. Rest and serve. Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve straight from the dish with crusty bread on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 890mg