One-Pot Baked Ziti with Sausage and Spinach
By Christie MorrisonPublished on October 7, 2015
Time
1 hour plus 10 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed3 garlic cloves, minced1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon sugar ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 cups water 12 ounces (3 ¾ cups) ziti 6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 7 ounces (7 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse6 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into ¼-inch pieces (1 ½ cups)2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
Before You Begin
You can substitute part-skim versions of ricotta and mozzarella cheese here. Avoid preshredded cheese, as it does not melt well.
Instructions
- Cook sausage in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up pieces with spoon, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and their juice, salt, oregano, sugar, and pepper flakes. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in water, pasta, and 4 tablespoons basil. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer vigorously, uncovered, until pasta is still very firm but just starting to soften, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in spinach, 3/4 cup mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Dollop surface of pasta evenly with spoonfuls of ricotta. Top with remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Broil ziti until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.
Time
1 hour plus 10 minutes coolingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups water
12 ounces (3 ¾ cups) ziti
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
7 ounces (7 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse
6 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into ¼-inch pieces (1 ½ cups)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups water
12 ounces (3 ¾ cups) ziti
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
7 ounces (7 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse
6 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into ¼-inch pieces (1 ½ cups)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups water
12 ounces (3 ¾ cups) ziti
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
7 ounces (7 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse
6 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into ¼-inch pieces (1 ½ cups)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We start this easy one-pot meal by browning sweet Italian sausage in a Dutch oven before adding canned tomato sauce and canned diced tomatoes. A few pantry staples—minced garlic, dried oregano, sugar, and fresh basil—add complexity and a little heat to the sauce. To eliminate the need for a second pot to cook the pasta in, we simmer it right in the flavorful sauce. To add creaminess and texture to the dish, we stir in a combination of Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, along with chopped baby spinach. To finish, we dollop the top with ricotta and more mozzarella and Parmesan and then place the pot under the broiler to melt and brown the cheeses. A sprinkling of fresh basil adds a final flourish.
Before You Begin
You can substitute part-skim versions of ricotta and mozzarella cheese here. Avoid preshredded cheese, as it does not melt well.
Instructions
- Cook sausage in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up pieces with spoon, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and their juice, salt, oregano, sugar, and pepper flakes. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in water, pasta, and 4 tablespoons basil. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer vigorously, uncovered, until pasta is still very firm but just starting to soften, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in spinach, 3/4 cup mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Dollop surface of pasta evenly with spoonfuls of ricotta. Top with remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Broil ziti until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.
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