Meatball and Spinach Baked Ziti

In my home, casserole dishes are very much in demand. So, for any main occasion, these casserole dishes are served as the main course. Being a lover of meatball, I love to use this in various dishes like this Meatball and Spinach Baked Ziti recipe that I will share today. So, put up your apron and get ready with your utensils to start preparing this casserole along with me.

Meatball and Spinach Baked Ziti

Jane Simpson

This Meatball and Spinach Baked Ziti is cheesy, creamy and delicious. It’s a complete one-pot dish that doesn’t need any combination or a side dish.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 people

Calories 912 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Cooking spray

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

•  
  2 cups ziti pasta
• 1 pound ground lamb (minced lamb)
• ½ small onion - chopped
• 2 cloves garlic - chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon Canola oil
• ¼ cup red wine - dry
• 24 ounces Marinara sauce (tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions – pasta sauce in southern hemisphere for Italian seafood dish)
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt - to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper - to taste
• 3 tablespoons parsley - flat-leaf, chopped (plus more for garnishing)
• 3 tablespoons basil - fresh, chopped, plus more for garnishing
• 2 bunches spinach - flat-leaf
•  
  8 ounces Bocconcini

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C and grease a baking dish.
• In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al Dante.
• Add the ground lamb, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, egg, ½ teaspoon pepper, and one teaspoon salt in another bowl. Mix them very well and shape them into 16 meatballs.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and occasionally stir until it turns brown on all sides (about 8 minutes).
• Add wine and gently scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
• Stir in the Marinara sauce, basil, spinach, and parsley and bring to simmer. Once done, remove it from heat and add it to the pasta.
• Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, top it with cheese and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until cheese gets melted and edges are bubbly. Once done, let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 912kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 36gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 1711mgPotassium: 2008mgFiber: 8gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 17095IUVitamin C: 65mgCalcium: 362mgIron: 9mg

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