Baked ziti is a favorite comfort dish in my home! Adding spinach is a quick and easy way to get more leafy greens into your family’s diet without complaints. This dish takes 45 minutes. 
Ingredients:
- 12 oz uncooked ziti (wheat or gluten-free)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I recommend: Tuttorosso)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
- 8 oz fat-free ricotta
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded part skim mozzarella (I recommend: Polly-O)
- olive oil cooking spray (I used my Misto
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with oil spray.
- In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente (I like to under-cook it 3 or 4 minutes as it will cook more in the oven). Drain and return to pot.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt, pepper and crushed tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes.
- Add sauce to the pasta and combine. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.
- Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella and cover with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned. Let it cool 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 8 servings, Serving Size: scant 1 1/3 cups
- Amount Per Serving:
- Smart Points: 8
- Points +: 8
- Calories: 296
- Total Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: g
- Cholesterol: mg
- Sodium: 524mg
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 5.5g
- Sugar: 5g
- Protein: 16g
