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ricotta spinach & sausage pasta

ClubFoody avatar
Recipe by
Francine Lizotte
@ClubFoody
Surrey South, BC

Packed with flavor, this delicious comfort food is perfect for weeknights!

yield 6 servings
prep time 10 Min
cook time 45 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For ricotta spinach & sausage pasta

  • 5 oz
    frozen spinach, thawed, drained and excess liquid squeezed out
  • 2 c
    ricotta cheese
  • 1 lg
    free-range egg
  • 1/2 Tbsp
    italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp
    ground himalayan sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp
    freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (i always use mixed peppercorns)
  • 1 1/2 c
    grana padano cheese, grated and divided
  • 1/2 lb
    hot italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1/2 c
    white onions, chopped
  • 1/2 c
    red peppers, chopped
  • 4 lg
    cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1/4 tsp
    red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 1 lb
    rigatoni, cooked
  • 2 3/4 c
    (22 oz./650 ml) marinara sauce

How To Make ricotta spinach & sausage pasta

  • 1
    Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions.
  • 2
    Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  • 3
    In a bowl, add spinach, ricotta cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, freshly ground black pepper and ½ cup Grana Padano; stir until combined and set aside.
  • 4
    In a skillet over medium heat, add sausage and cook half way, breaking the meat into small pieces. Add onions and sauté for 1 minute. Add red peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.
  • 5
    Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for only 30 seconds.
  • 6
    Remove from the heat and add the ingredients to the ricotta mixture along with cooked rigatoni; mixed until the noodles are coated.
  • 7
    Pour in the marinara sauce and stir to blend.
  • 8
    Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and level it out with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle on the remaining cup of Grana Padano cheese and cover with foil.
  • 9
    Transfer the dish to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  • 10
    When time is up, remove the foil and cook for an additional 12 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.
  • 11
    Remove from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  • 12
    To view this great comfort food recipe on YouTube, click on this link >>> https://youtu.be/85Ia-wDBocM
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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