Spinach Artichoke Baked Ziti
We love this baked ziti with spinach and artichokes! It’s easy and has the most amazing creamy layer made with sour cream, pesto, and mozzarella cheese. It is so good! Our baked ziti with spinach and artichokes is a mashup between classic baked ziti and spinach artichoke dip. It’s super simple to make, and thanks to that creamy layer of pesto and sour cream, it’s super delicious, too! I’m always game for baked pasta, and this ziti is truly one of my favorites. It’s also really pretty on the table, so it works well for entertaining and the holidays! More pasta recipes that hit the same tone are this veggie pasta bake, our easy lasagna, and my spinach mushroom lasagna. Key Ingredients Pasta: Choose your favorite tube-shaped pasta, such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni. The sauce gets trapped inside each piece. I cook it in salted water for slightly less than the recommended time. We partially cook the pasta so it doesn’t overcook and become mushy when baking in the oven. Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought jarred sauce or homemade. For homemade, I love this lighter marinara sauce or this red pasta sauce. Spinach and Artichokes: I use fresh baby spinach and jarred artichokes. I especially love the artichokes packed in oil since they have a bit more flavor, but artichokes sold in water will do the trick. Pesto and Sour Cream: You’ll stir these together to make our creamy pesto layer. Store-bought pesto is fine, but I love this homemade basil pesto if you are up for making it. I use the same creamy pesto sauce for my baked spaghetti! Mozzarella: You can’t have baked ziti without some cheese. Mozzarella is perfect, but any melty Italian cheese is fine! Pasta: Choose your favorite tube-shaped pasta, such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni. The sauce gets trapped inside each piece. I cook it in salted water for slightly less than the recommended time. We partially cook the pasta so it doesn’t overcook and become mushy when baking in the oven. Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought jarred sauce or homemade. For homemade, I love this lighter marinara sauce or this red pasta sauce. Spinach and Artichokes: I use fresh baby spinach and jarred artichokes. I especially love the artichokes packed in oil since they have a bit more flavor, but artichokes sold in water will do the trick. Pesto and Sour Cream: You’ll stir these together to make our creamy pesto layer. Store-bought pesto is fine, but I love this homemade basil pesto if you are up for making it. I use the same creamy pesto sauce for my baked spaghetti! Mozzarella: You can’t have baked ziti without some cheese. Mozzarella is perfect, but any melty Italian cheese is fine! How to Make Spinach Artichoke Baked Ziti This entertaining-worthy spinach baked ziti comes together fast. Start cooking your pasta, but undercook it by 1 to 2 minutes. This way, the pasta won’t become mushy when we toss it with the marinara sauce and bake. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, but save some of the hot pasta water for later. The starchy pasta water helps to make the sauce stick to the pasta when it bakes in the oven. From there, toss the pasta into a big bowl with marinara sauce, fresh spinach, and the artichokes. As you toss, you will notice that the spinach will begin to wilt from the heat of the pasta. It will seem like a lot of spinach at first, but it becomes more reasonable as it wilts. When everything is tossed together, spoon about half of the pasta, spinach, and artichokes into a baking dish, then add a layer of creamy pesto. The creamy pesto layer is my favorite part of this baked ziti recipe. It’s a treat and simple to make by stirring sour cream and pesto together. In addition to the pesto layer, I add some mozzarella cheese, then top it with the rest of the pasta, spinach, and artichokes. So that the baked pasta is extra cheesy, I add more mozzarella on top, then bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted. It’s utterly delicious! Spinach Artichoke Baked Ziti PREP 15 mins COOK 40 mins TOTAL 55 mins PREP 15 mins COOK 40 mins TOTAL 55 mins Our baked ziti with spinach and artichokes only requires about 15 minutes of hands-on time. A layer of sour cream, pesto, and cheese is sandwiched in the middle of the ziti, making it extra delicious. If you do not have sour cream, substitute it with cream cheese, cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese. 8 Servings You Will Need 1 pound (450g) dry pasta like ziti, penne, or rigatoni Salt, to taste 1 (28oz) jar of marinara or spaghetti sauce, about 3 cups 1/4 cup (55g) basil pesto 3/4 cup (170g) sour cream 10 ounces (280g) fresh baby spinach 6 ounces (170g) jarred artichoke hearts, drained, chopped 1 ½ cups (170g) mozzarella cheese, shredded Directions 1Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Butter or lightly oil a 3-quart baking dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray. 2Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and then follow package directions, but cook for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package calls for. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain. 3While the pasta cooks, warm the marinara sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. 4In a small bowl, stir the basil pesto and the sour cream until well blended. 5Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl with the spinach, artichokes warmed marinara, and the reserved pasta water. Toss until the spinach has wilted and everything is well combined. 6Spoon half of the pasta into the baking dish. Spread the sour cream and pesto mixture over the pasta and scatter with half of the mozzarella cheese. 7Top with the remaining pasta, lightly press everything down into the baking dish, and then scatter the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top. 8Place the baking dish onto a baking sheet (just in case any sauce drips over the sides of the baking dish). Bake until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Butter or lightly oil a 3-quart baking dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray. 2Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and then follow package directions, but cook for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package calls for. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain. 3While the pasta cooks, warm the marinara sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. 4In a small bowl, stir the basil pesto and the sour cream until well blended. 5Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl with the spinach, artichokes warmed marinara, and the reserved pasta water. Toss until the spinach has wilted and everything is well combined. 6Spoon half of the pasta into the baking dish. Spread the sour cream and pesto mixture over the pasta and scatter with half of the mozzarella cheese. 7Top with the remaining pasta, lightly press everything down into the baking dish, and then scatter the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top. 8Place the baking dish onto a baking sheet (just in case any sauce drips over the sides of the baking dish). Bake until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Baked ziti lasts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, wrap it well with foil (we use two layers) and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the frozen pasta overnight in the refrigerator and then bake at 400°F for about 1 hour. Make ahead: You can refrigerate unbaked ziti. Cover and refrigerate the assembled but unbaked pasta for up to 2 days. When you cover, use parchment paper between the pasta and aluminum foil. Aluminum foil can react with the tomatoes. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Storing: Baked ziti lasts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, wrap it well with foil (we use two layers) and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the frozen pasta overnight in the refrigerator and then bake at 400°F for about 1 hour. Make ahead: You can refrigerate unbaked ziti. Cover and refrigerate the assembled but unbaked pasta for up to 2 days. When you cover, use parchment paper between the pasta and aluminum foil. Aluminum foil can react with the tomatoes. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/8 of the recipe / Calories 457 / Total Fat 13.3g / Saturated Fat 4.9g / Cholesterol 23.3mg / Sodium 893mg / Carbohydrate 62.1g / Dietary Fiber 9.6g / Total Sugars 8g / Protein 25.2g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us