Baked Ziti with Sausage, Broccoli and Spinach is the perfect hidden veggie pasta bake for those of us who either need help in getting their daily intake of vegetables or have children that stubbornly refuse them.
Vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach are so finely hidden in this Baked Ziti with Sausage, that I had to really dig for them in order to take these photos to prove that they are truly there!
My picky 8 year old who lives on bread, meat and pasta only didn’t even question the finely chopped green pieces.
How to make Baked Ziti with Sausage, Spinach and Broccoli
You can use a 12 inch cast iron skillet like this one. We also successfully made it in 8 inch square glass baking dish like this one. If using a baking dish, you will still need to use another skillet to precook sausage. Therefore if you want fewer dishes to wash and just a much easier process, I would suggest using an oven safe skillet, like this Pro Logic Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with Modern design.
Sausage is cooked together with spinach and broccoli (to soften the veggies) on the stove top. While they are cooking, mix ricotta, egg, parsley, mozarella cheese, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
Finally, all ingredients and pasta sauce are added to the same skillet (this is where oven proof cast iron skillet comes very handy) and baked at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
Tip: To make the top of baked ziti more crusty, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
How to reheat Baked Ziti with Sausage
Simply add extra sauce to the reheating pan, add leftover baked ziti and reheat. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week and is a good choice of something that can be made ahead of the work week.
You can also reheat it in the oven by preheating to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to freeze Baked Ziti with Sausage
Transfer baked ziti to an air tight storage container and freeze. When frozen you can pop it out of the container and put in a freezer bag if desired.
If you enjoy pasta dishes that also include vegetables, you might also like Chicken and Mushroom Pasta in Pesto Wine Sauce, Chicken with Spinach and Mushrooms in Creamy Parmesan Sauce and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells with Spinach and Sausage.
Baked Ziti with Sausage, Broccoli and Spinach is the perfect hidden veggie pasta bake for those of us who either need help in getting their daily intake of vegetables or have children that stubbornly refuse them.
- 1 lb ziti pasta cooked al dente
- 1 lb Italian sausage cooked and chopped
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 28 oz. pasta sauce
- 1 cup broccoli chopped
- 1 cup spinach chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook sausage, add broccoli and spinach and cook together with sausage.
- Cook ziti according to package directions; drain; set aside.
- Mix ricotta, egg, parsley, 1-1/2 cups of the mozarella cheese, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
- Mix cooked sausage and pasta in with ricotta mixture.
- Mix in 3/4 jar of sauce.
- Transfer mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish.
- Top with the rest of the sauce and mozarella cheese.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
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