This recipe lasts my family of four for at least three meals when served with a dinner salad and crusty Italian bread. It is wonderful Italian comfort food.
Ingredients
- ziti pasta: 1 pack (16 ounce pack)
- lean ground beef: 1 pound
- medium onion: 1 piece (chopped)
- garlic: 4 clove (minced, divided)
- jars spaghetti sauce: 2 piece (26 ounce)
- olive oil: 1 Tbsp
- ounces baby spinach: 12 piece
- ricotta cheese: 1 container (16 ounce container)
- Parmesan cheese: 0.25 cup (shredded)
- salt: (to taste)
- ounces provolone cheese: 6 piece (sliced)
- mozzarella cheese: 1 pack (8 ounce pack, shredded)
- Parmesan cheese: 2 Tbsp (shredded)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir ground beef, onion, and 1/2 of the garlic in the hot skillet until beef is until browned and onion is wilted, 5 to 7 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.
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While the meat sauce is simmering, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
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Mix ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and wilted spinach in a bowl. Season with salt.
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Place 1/2 of the ziti in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and layer with 1/2 of the meat sauce. Spread provolone cheese on top to form a flat surface. Spread spinach mixture over top, then cover with remaining ziti and meat sauce. Top with 2 tablespoons Parmesan and sprinkle mozzarella over top.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let firm up for at least 10 minutes before serving.
