
A comforting and hearty vegetarian dinner featuring tender ziti pasta tossed in a creamy spinach and ricotta filling. Topped with a zesty herb-infused tomato sauce and melted mozzarella, this bake is a guaranteed family favorite.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and lightly grease a large heatproof baking dish.
Prepare the pasta sauce by pouring out about 1/4 cup of the tomato passata from the bottle to make space. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, dried Italian herbs, chili flakes, sugar, salt, and black pepper directly into the bottle. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well until the seasonings are fully incorporated.
Cook the ziti pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package instructions to keep it al dente.
Before draining the pasta, scoop out approximately 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, thawed and squeezed-dry spinach, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and olive oil. Stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to make the mixture smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cooked pasta to the ricotta mixture and stir until every piece is evenly coated. Transfer the mixture into your prepared baking dish.
Pour the prepared pasta sauce over the top of the pasta and sprinkle evenly with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly.
Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving hot and fresh.
To prevent a watery bake, ensure the frozen spinach is squeezed extremely dry after thawing. If you can't find ziti, penne or rigatoni are excellent substitutes that hold the creamy sauce well.