Sep 8, 2010

Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach




A perfect week night meal the whole family will enjoy. Baked ziti is a favorite in my home, sneaking spinach into it is a great way to get your picky kids to eat more leafy greens without any complaints. Perfect with a garden salad on the side. This makes enough for eight, so if you have a small family, you'll probably have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.



Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes 
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th Points: 6 pts Points+: 9 pts
Calories: 331.9 Fat: 7.1 g Protein: 17.5 g Carb: 54.7 g Fiber: 7.8 g 
 
  • 1 lb high fiber ziti such as Ronzoni Smart Taste
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I prefer Tuttorosso)
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic,minced
  • 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • salt and fresh pepper to taste
  • 8 oz fat-free ricotta
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan
  • 2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella
  • Spray olive oil (I used my Misto)

Preheat oven to 375°.Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.

In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper.

Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.

Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.

This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Print Friendly and PDF
Pin it

170 comments:

  1. I seriously wish you could be my personal chef! EVERY recipe you post is something that I love or would love to eat- easy, no fuss recipes that are light and healthy. Perfection =) Thank you!

    We loved baked ziti and spinach!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Rachel! I try to post recipes we love to eat in our home as well. Baked ziti was long overdo!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yum!! Baked ziti! One of my faves, but didn't know how to deal with the points. So excited to make this soon!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This looks so good I'm going to make it tomorrow! I made your clam chowder the other day-- it's become part of our regular rotation of meals. Thank you for all the great recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have a skillet recipe similar to this that I love so I can’t wait to try this.This looks really delicious! I am so grateful to people like you who have opened up their homes and made my family members and friends feel comfortable when they were so far from home!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am based in London, England - what is ziti?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Google it! I just did!! It's tube shaped pasta! :)
    Lovely recipe. Thanks for all your hard work.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Penne or rigatoni would also work fine if you can't find ziti!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Since I'm allergic to dairy products from cows, I have substituted tofu with eggs, seasoning and onions for the ricotta...and I use sheeps cheese (Locatelli) for a substitute for parmesan. The mozzarella substitute is a vegan cheese that's flavored as mozzarella. In the produce section of all grocery stores. The ziti tastes lighter, and delicious. Fools everybody who doesn't know.

    ReplyDelete
  10. YUM! Baked ziti is one of our favorites. I'll definitely have to give your version a try!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Baked ziti is always a crowd pleaser. Thanks for the healthy take.

    ReplyDelete
  12. you make it look so wonderful! the points value is awesome for what seems to be a good portioN!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Do you happen to know how much 1 serving is? like a cup perhaps?

    Looks so yummy!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. We make a version of this and add ground turkey sausage (my husband refuses to go meatless...he's a work in progress).

    DELICIOUS!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello! OMG...I LOVE your site. It's become my "go to" resource! I am new to blogging and weight watchers, and have shared your link with a number of folks in my weight watchers meeting! Thank you SOOOOOO much for this and all your posts!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I make something similar to this and I love it! I'll have to try your version out :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. So happy to see this recipe! I love baked ziti but have stayed away from it in my weight watcher journey. It's getting back on the menu!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Made this tonight. Very good & satiated my craving for something hearty.

    ReplyDelete
  19. sound like something my kids would enjoy too

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ziti is one of my favorite Italian one-dish meals..your recipe sounds great!

    ReplyDelete
  21. This looks amazing, can't wait to make this.

    ReplyDelete
  22. This looks yummy Gina! The best part- it's healthy...

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm planning on making this for dinner tonight. I cannot wait!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh yum! Too bad I didn't see this last week when I made regular ziti for dinner.

    Love, love, love your site! Found you last month and have so many recipes bookmarked for my journey on WW.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love this recipe. I made it two nights ago and my boyfriend devoured it; my Italian mother also enjoyed it! It's a keeper!

    ReplyDelete
  26. this looks sooooooooooooooooo gooooooooooood mmmmmmmmmm! i just wanna say, i've been reading your blog for almost a year now and i've lost 25 pounds doing it in conjuction with weight watchers, you're really amazing :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. awesome @thesourie!!!! That makes my day!

    So happy you all like this!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I lpve this recipe! I made it with Quinoa instead of the pasta and it was delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'm wanting something hearty and filling tonight, but don't have many POINTS left. Does anyone have any idea about how many cup(s) 1/8 of this dish is?

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wow, I just made this and it was absolutely delicious. I added dried parsley and a little bit of crushed red pepper as well.

    This is one of the best WW dishes I've made!

    ReplyDelete
  31. This looks so yummy! Does anyone know how many points a serving would be if I add a lb of lean ground beef to the recipe?

    ReplyDelete
  32. I think it would between 9 - 10 points per serving.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Would the points increase if I used Ronzoni Smart Taste penne instead of ziti? I still used 1 lb. of pasta.

    ReplyDelete
  34. stupid question...it's 1 lb of uncooked pasta right? this looks so good!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I made this last week and my meat-eater-non healthy hubby LOVED it as did I! Every time I usually make ziti I've used jarred sauces that I now know are full of sugar, so I was a little wary that the flavor would be off just going natural with canned tomatoes but we didn't miss the sugar at all. LOVE your site and recipes, thank you! Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  36. Looks so great!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Oh my Goodness Gina....two recipes with spinach in one week that my very picky 9 year old loved! This Ziti was soooo delicious and so easy! He had seconds. Gonna try your three bean chili tonight. Thank you for delicious, easy, healthy recipes the whole family loves!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Made this today and it is awesome! I did not have ziti so I used rigitoni and my box was only 13oz, so I used recipe builder on ww website and it reduced the points to 5 per serving. This is wonderful! Portion size is plenty too! Planning on putting in freezer containers and freezing for when I want this! It's just me and my son, so these big recipes are wonderful. Thank you for a yummy recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  39. This was AWESOME. Have a family of three who enjoyed it and I easily froze the second half for a simple meal at a later date. The portion size is also huge. I could only eat half (however my dad devoured 2 servings!)

    ReplyDelete
  40. Gina I love your recipes! I made this last week and it was wonderful!!

    ReplyDelete
  41. my roommate and I made this last night and loved it! I brought it for lunch today!

    ReplyDelete
  42. I'm new to WW, my sister turned me onto it and to this site. I've printed out some of the recipes already and can't wait to try them.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I made this recipe last night and it was AWESOME!! I will definately be making it again! I can't wait to try other recipes!! Thanks so much for making this Weight Watcher journey a little easier and enjoyable!!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Made this today and we enjoyed it very much. Next time, I think I will precook the spinach and squeeze out the extra water. Other than that, extra good.
    Can anyone tell me how to print these individually?

    ReplyDelete
  45. Yes, must squeeze out the water.

    To print: if you are using Internet Explorer, you have to upgrade to the latest version, then should print fine. Or use Firefox instead.

    ReplyDelete
  46. This was just fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing these amazing recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  47. I made this but had to cut way back on the ricotta because I can't find fat free ricotta anywhere in Southern California. I also used about half of the mozzarella and it still turned out pretty good. My calories are calculating quite a bit higher for a serving.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Making this right now. It's in the oven and smells so good! I can't wait. I didn't have Ziti...so I used Penne, also used fresh spinach (cause I had to use it up).

    This is my favorite recipe blog! Thanks Gina.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Glad you all enjoyed this, thanks Kimmie :)

    ReplyDelete
  50. is this 1lb of cooked or uncooked pasta?? thank you! can't wait to make this week!

    ReplyDelete
  51. That's 1 lb of dry, uncooked pasta.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Just made this & added 1.3 lbs of ground turkey to please my family (took it to 8 points per serving). It was delicious! My husband & picky 4 & 6 year olds gobbled it up. Definitely will be making this one again!

    ReplyDelete
  53. 8 points is still great, thanks for commenting!

    ReplyDelete
  54. This was awesome. I am so glad a friend recommended me to this site. I made this with part-skim ricotta. It was delicious and my BF loved it and ate two helpings, he didn't even know it was a lower fat dish. I also served with some marinara on the side, I felt it needed a little sauce. Excellent. I can't wait to try more of your recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  55. If I wanted to use fresh spinach, can you tell me how much I would use and whether I need to cook it first? Also, if I wanted to make this a little "saucier", would I add more tomatoes (and if so, how much?) or would I make your marinara sauce? This looks great, and I can't wait to try it.

    ReplyDelete
  56. For fresh spinach you would sauté a large bag of baby spinach with the garlic and oil. If you want it saucier, sure add more tomatoes. Maybe a half can of crushed tomatoes? It depends on how saucy you like it.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Gina, thank you so much for this recipe! I just made it last night and not only did I love it, but my boyfriend loved it too! (And he had no idea it was healthy!!)

    Thanks a million! I look forward to checking out more of your recipes!

    Rachelle

    www.skinnyinasnap.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  58. Hey Gina, when do you add the milk?

    Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  59. Hey Kate, no milk in here, maybe you got confused with the cheese?

    ReplyDelete
  60. Hi Gina -
    I LOVE, LOVE your website! I check it every morning with my morning cup of coffee :) Just about to make the baked ziti and wondering if you squeeze the water out of the spinach before sauteing it?

    Thanks!
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  61. Thanks Lisa! Yes, I would def. drain it first. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  62. This is my favorite pasta now. Making it again tonight.
    I appreciate your blog. It's my go-to for easy, delicious and point friendly recipes.
    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  63. Hi Gina! I have a question for you... I made this dish and realized that I bought mini Ziti. Would that change the 8 servings that the normal one makes?? When I divided it up into 8 servings it just seems like alot for just 6 points. Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  64. It would be the same... But my points are for ronzoni smart taste (high fiber). I think you used regular pasta which would be slightly more.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Yes I did use a different brand because I could not find that Ronzoni Smart Tast Ziti. I will add a couple points to it . Thanks so much and thank you for postining all these great recipes!! I have made so many of them and loved them all!!

    ReplyDelete
  66. If you use whole wheat pasta, would that change the points any? Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  67. I tried this dish last night and it was AMAZING!! I started WW two weeks ago and your recipes are helping me from getting bored. I couldn't find fat free ricotta at my store so I subbed fat free cottage cheese instead and it was delicious! Thanks for all the recipes:)

    ReplyDelete
  68. I would love to try this recipe! But I have a question...I can NEVER find fat free ricotta. What difference would it make to use part skim low fat ricotta? According to my calculator it's the same amount of points but I'm unsure if it would be the same considering the use of 8 oz.

    ReplyDelete
  69. I'm not sure off the top of my head, you'd have to look at the points in recipe builder and see if it makes a difference.

    ReplyDelete
  70. This is AMAZING! My husband and I were questioning the whole time if it could REALLY only be 9 P+! Your recipes are beyond delicious, Gina - thank you so much for sharing! You make it so much easier to stay on track with WW!

    ReplyDelete
  71. Served this tonight and it was a hit! My kids called by old, full of fat ziti casserole "Noodle City". When they asked what was for dinner I said, "Noodle City"! My 5yo asked about the green stuff and I steered the conversation to the benefits of basil:) Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  72. Made this for supper tonight and my hubby and teenaged daughter are already asking when I am making it again! It was a huge hit and really simple to make. Thank you so much!! This is 2 for 2 hits from your site that i have tried since discovering it this week! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  73. Gina, this site is amazing! I added a few of your recipes to my cooking for this week, I am soooo excited to try! This looks like something my kids and husband will like as well! 1 question though, am I supposed to drain the spinache?
    -Lauren

    ReplyDelete
  74. This is my favorite recipe to sneak spinach into my kids tummies!

    Yes, drain the spinach first!

    ReplyDelete
  75. I'm in shock right now!! My kids are gobbling this up and I even put 16 oz of spinach in here! I was scared they'd freak when they saw all the green, but I just told them it was "green silly" noodles and that's all they needed. My 3 yr old son (who rarely takes 2 bites of his dinner, let alone a vegetable) has now eaten 2 plates full without and encouragement! My 5 year old daughter loved it too! Thank you! This is the 3rd recipe I've made off of your site and they all have been absolutely perfect!! You're amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  76. Thank you so much I made a version of this and it was fab!

    ReplyDelete
  77. Yay Jen!! I love helping moms to get there kids to eat!!

    ReplyDelete
  78. Hi Gina....I have made MANY of your recipes from your site and I've yet to make one I don't like!! I made this one but I think I may have made a mistake as it was a bit dry. I used a "potato ricer" to squeeze the liquid out of the spinach and then I drained the tomatoes.

    But nevertheless...my family and I still loved it and the next day I just reheated the leftovers with some tomato sauce and a little more cheese (for my son) and it was a hit again!!

    So I'm probably the only one who has done this but wanted to share it so others know to keep a little of the moisture in the dish. Also...I probably should have kept it covered a bit longer as I use "convection bake." That also dries out dishes. THANK YOU again for your awesome site and recipes!!

    ReplyDelete
  79. I made this 2 nights ago, and now I am making it again for company!! This is definitely a winner!!!

    ReplyDelete
  80. Lynne, I didn't drain my spinach, and also crushed tomatoes are basically like sauce...lotsa rich juice...shouldn't be too much to drain...maybe you bought diced instead???

    ReplyDelete
  81. I'd be lost with a convection oven. You could always serve this with more sauce if you wish.

    ReplyDelete
  82. Can't wait to eat this (1/2 a batch waiting in the fridge to cook and another 1/2 in the freezer for later!) Just wanted to say for anyone asking, I entered this into the recipe building using part skim ricotta since I also couldn't find fat free, and it came to 9 pts+. Hooray!

    ReplyDelete
  83. My sister and I made this tonight and it was delicious!! I have been on WW for a while, but she is a tiny little thing and doesn't care much for low fat, low cal anything! I was surprised she was even willing to try this but - she was very impressed! Now she's actually excited to try other items on here! Thanks Gina - you rock!

    ReplyDelete
  84. I made this for dinner tonight. It's very good. Thanks, Gina!

    ReplyDelete
  85. Just finished this and it was fabulous. I added a couple of diced links of hot italian turkey sausage and a can of diced tomatos.

    But there was no way I could eat a whole serving - I'd say this could feed easily feed 12.

    ReplyDelete
  86. Thank you for this delicious recipe!!! It was a big hit!!!! Absolutely, Yummy!!!! You're amazing!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  87. I tried to add a name to my post and I'm challenged here. I couldn't figure it out. That's why my name is anonymous in previous post!! How do you add your name if you do not have an account with any of the options listed???

    ReplyDelete
  88. Made this for dinner, it was great and filling.

    ReplyDelete
  89. I think you need to open a blogger account to add your name in the comment if you don't have a blog.

    ReplyDelete
  90. Ohmygoodness! I cannot believe it, but my 2 super-picky boys (3yrs and 4yrs) are just plowing through this dish--and they haven't dodged the spinach, either. Big winner at my house--thank you, Gina!

    ReplyDelete
  91. Bowles, nothing makes me happier than knowing my recipes can get the little ones to eat their veggies!

    ReplyDelete
  92. So yummie!!!

    ReplyDelete
  93. Loved it! It was delicious and quite a large serving size too.

    ReplyDelete
  94. Gina, I found this under the "Freezer-friendly" recipes, and it looks wonderful! Do you think it is best to freeze the dish before or after baking it? What would be your recommendations for reheating after freezing? Thank you so much for all of your recipes! My husband and friends have been so impressed, and I have made dishes I never thought I could!

    ReplyDelete
  95. Lauren, I would freeze it before baking. Remove pasta from the freezer, allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bake as directed.

    ReplyDelete
  96. Sorry if this is a dumb question. But you say to use "2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella" Is cheese measured differently than liquid? Because I thought 1 cup was 8oz...So I don't know if you just mean we need 2 cups (16oz) divided in to 8oz each. Since in the recipe it says to use half at one point and half later on. I just didn't want to use 16oz total if that's not what you meant, and then have it raise the point value. Thanks for your help! I can't wait to try out this recipe! :)

    ReplyDelete
  97. What should I do if I only have diced tomatoes on hand? Drain and chop maybe?? or put them in the blender and puree? Please advise. :)

    ReplyDelete
  98. Christina, it's confusing but there are ounces (weight) and liquid ounces. Cheese is measured by weight.

    Heather, the blender would be fine.

    ReplyDelete
  99. Anyone have a sodium content per serving?

    ReplyDelete
  100. I made this for my boyfriend and I last night and was suprised how FILLING it was! I added some ground beef, but other than that I stuck with the recipe. It was great. I only had one bowl and am eating more for lunch today!

    ReplyDelete
  101. I made this tonight and it was wonderful!!! I thought I would miss having meat in my meal, but I didn't. I will def. be keeping this recipe and making it many times in the future. This is the first of your recipes that I've tried and I can't wait to work my way through more! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  102. Made this last night and it was delicious! I added more sauce but otherwise followed the recipe. Didn't miss the meat and loved the added spinach. Very nice portion and extremely filling. I used to make ziti often so I am pleased to have found a healthier version. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  103. I wish I had used the SmartTaste pasta instead of the whole wheat kind I had at home. I still can't get used to whole wheat but it was still yummy! Like others said, this was a big serving so I made it into 12 servings instead of 8. Great to bring to work! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  104. Just made this and added 8 oz. of cooked Veal sausage for 10 pts.+ per serving and it was delicious

    ReplyDelete
  105. Made this tonight and it was delicious! Thanks for all the great recipes :)

    ReplyDelete
  106. Gina, the box of Ronzoni Smart taste is only 14 oz so this makes seven servings, not 8. Maybe it used to be a pound when you first posted the recipe, but like many other brands, they have cut the oz down so it is smaller now.

    This was excellent though. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  107. Did you use shredded mozzarella for this?

    ReplyDelete
  108. Is the mozzarella shredded or sliced off a large 8oz piece. It looks like you used slices from the photograph, but that wouldn't work if you had to mix together. I noticed the same thing in some other recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  109. Just got done devouring this dish! So SO yummy. My two year old loved it...even asked for seconds! Thank you for your wonderful creations.

    ReplyDelete
  110. I made this last night and it was spectacular. When you said serving size was roughly 2 cups, meaning 2 portioned cups right? (I'm confused due to the cheese comments and just want to make sure.)

    I measured with my little measuring cups, and want to make sure it was 9 pts+ for the 2 cups, and not 18.

    ReplyDelete
  111. 9 points plus for 1/8th of the recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  112. This is in my oven right now and smells delicious. One thing I wasn't sure about was in thawing the frozen spinach, I went ahead and cooked it in the microwave and then drained it. Did you mean by thawing, just to use it uncooked? I wasn't clear. I'm sure it will turn out great regardless, but thought I would clarify for next time. Thanks! RK

    ReplyDelete
  113. Frozen spinach is cooked so no need to cook it again, just thaw, squeeze out liquid and add it to the recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  114. I made two recipes of this for Fathers Day. One to eat, and the other to freeze in portions. This freezes very well and I just enjoyed my last serving yesterday :-(
    I will definitely make this one again soon. Can you recommend any other recipes that freeze well? Thanks Gina!
    Cristy

    ReplyDelete
  115. OMG made tonight it was FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!!!! LOVED IT!!! Cant wait to have it as a leftover tomorrow... Both grocery stores i went to didnt have FF Ricotta but only lowfat so had to go with that.. but amazing amazing!!!

    ReplyDelete
  116. Loved this recipe! Easy to make, satisfying and makes great leftovers!! thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  117. Gina,

    I am trying this recipe tonight for the first time. However, I am confused by some of the directions. In the third paragraph you put the mix into the baking pan. Then in the next sentence you tell us to pour the mixture into the pan and spread evenly. I just want to make sure there isn't a step missing?

    Thanks for all the great recipes! We are eating healthier than ever and I love using all these fresh ingredients!

    ReplyDelete
  118. This was very good! Thank you for all of your recipes!

    ReplyDelete
  119. Delish! You sure it was "healthy"? LOL your recipes are great! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  120. Your recipies are fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  121. I'm making this tonight for dinner!

    ReplyDelete
  122. Thank you very much! I halved the recipe because it's just my husband and I and it turned out perfect! I made chicken breast on the side bc the hubby MUST HAVE protein. :)Being a newlywed, it's overwhelming tackling new recipes, but this was really straight forward, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  123. Great recipe! Also no non-fat ricotto or a full pound of high fiber ziti in Seattle, so I used less low fat ricotto, 12 oz of pasta, less mozarella. Added extra lean chicken sausage (13 oz) to make the full 9x13 baking dish. My husband says "homerun!"

    ReplyDelete
  124. I am making this right now! Smell's fantastic!

    Thanks for making my weight loss easier (and tastier)

    ReplyDelete
  125. I made this tonight for dinner along with your easy garlic busicuts and my family loved it. My kids even asked to take the leftovers to school for tomorrow's lunch. :)

    ReplyDelete
  126. Made this several times with zucchini instead of spinach, I sauté and then it finishes cooking in oven. We love it! Thanks Gina!

    ReplyDelete
  127. Made this tonight and it was fabulous! So quick and easy and even my picky 3 year old ate it! This will be a staple at our house from now on!

    ReplyDelete
  128. I also made this tonight! It was a hit. My husband who is a picky eater and turned his nose up when he heard spinach even love it :)

    ReplyDelete
  129. Your recipes are fantastic! Several of these have become our favorites!

    ReplyDelete
  130. This recipe is outrageous and on of me and my husbands favorite. I just have one question. The Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta box is only 12 oz. which is not a pound. Do the points for this recipe call for 1 lb or 1 box? (12 oz.) I just want to make sure I have it right. I made it with 1 lb like you have written. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  131. The points are for 16 oz. So glad you all liked it!

    ReplyDelete
  132. okay, that's what I did and thought. Thanks for clarifying! You are the best and make it more fun to cook in a healthy way! Thank you for what you do!

    ReplyDelete
  133. Made this tonight for dinner and it was sooooo good! Will for sure make it again! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  134. This was delicious! I think it's a rip off that pasta companies are changing their pkg from 16 oz to 12 oz, as my Ronzoni pasta only comes in 12 oz. I just used this one box, and it was still plenty. This does freeze well too. I freeze in portions for my lunches at work. Thanks so much for posting the WW points plus! This is so helpful, and your recipes have become my "go to" meals! Once I try it and like it, I share with my friends & family and post it on Facebook!! Thank you!!

    ReplyDelete
  135. I made this the other night and my husband and I loved it. I have one question for you though concerning the mozzarella. You have in the ingredients 8 oz (2 cups) but isnt 8 oz one cup?! So should I have used 1 cup or 2?

    I have tried many of your recipes over the past month and have enjoyed them all!!!

    ReplyDelete
  136. Tried this tonight and it was AWE-SOME! I adapted it a little bit. Added tomato sauce, tastefully simple onion onion seasoning and not as much basil. I like basil, but not quite that much. Kiddos liked it, too. Even the picky one.

    ReplyDelete
  137. I made this last night for a friend for dinner. Came out delicious. I used a 12 oz box of whole grain penne (since 16 oz boxes are no longer available). I'm glad I used the lesser amount of pasta, because the pasta soaked up most of the sauce. Next time I might even use slightly less pasta (I like my dishes "saucier"). I made the whole batch and froze a good amount. Can't wait to eat for lunch today :)

    ReplyDelete
  138. Awesome!! I got 10 big servings out of this so I froze half of it. Even my kids liked it!

    ReplyDelete
  139. Does this use crushed tomatoes or chopped tomatoes (diced)? The ingredient list calls for crushed but the directions say chopped. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  140. I just made this for dinner. It was very yummy, but I couldn't find fat free ricotta. I used low fat instead. Do you know how many more points that would make it?

    ReplyDelete
  141. Your site is fabulous and have many wonderful dishes for our Weight Watchers lunch bunch! Can I use kale instead of spinach? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  142. in the making :) but im adding green peppers

    ReplyDelete
  143. can I freeze this after it has been cooked or should I freeze it before hand?

    ReplyDelete
  144. Thank you for this recipe! I made this tonight but I added ground turkey breast (low fat, only adds about 50 calories per serving and lots of protein. I just cooked it first with the minced garlic... turned out wonderful! Thank you. My mom and her friend (and I) loved this.

    ReplyDelete
  145. Is it 331.9 calories per serving or in total?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it's got to be per serving. that's probably why its 9pointsplus

      Delete
  146. Made it tonight, but we thought there was to little seasoning, not much taste to it or did i miss something.

    ReplyDelete
  147. Taking this out of the oven in 5 mins!!! i added fresh mushrooms and some ground turkey meat (hubby had to have some meat in it!! lol) can't wait! smells awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  148. i just made this tonight! it's the first time i've really ever made a meal for my family and they were very impressed. and shocked at how healthy it is! THANK YOU :)

    ReplyDelete
  149. My husband instantly said, "there's no meat in this!" lol! but then he ate 2 bowlfuls and said it was actually pretty good. I was a little worried because my son had a couple friends over unexpectedly and I wasn't sure if they would like it, but they did, and the 11yo had 3 bowlfuls. So it pleased all of us! Thanks! :)

    ReplyDelete
  150. Do you use grated Parmesan??

    ReplyDelete
  151. Making this for dinner tonight, but I will be cutting the recipe in half. :) Can't wait to try it!

    ReplyDelete
  152. can you use fresh spinach?

    ReplyDelete
  153. I just went back on WW this week, so I've been looking up recipes like crazy. Your blog is amazing :) I made this for my BF and I tonight and it was a hit! So so yummy and easy. And happy it's a WW recipe that's cheesy and pasta friendly :) Thank you for everything!

    ReplyDelete
  154. I made this tonight with vegetable rotini (about 20oz of it, the plain, spinach and tomato kind), added half of an onion, added a medium-size can of diced tomatoes and cooked until onion was done. Turned out pretty good for something that's good for you! Next time I think I'd add an egg or two to the ricotta cheese to keep it together better. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  155. I made this yesterday for lunch. I used fresh spinach, dried basil, and cottage cheese instead of ricotta. It was absolutely delicious! This will definitely become a regular around here. Thank you so much for the recipe! I also used penne and bow tie pasta because that's what I had on hand.

    ReplyDelete
  156. Made this for dinner last night and even my anti-dieter boyfriend had seconds and took some to work today! Amazing recipe, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  157. I swapped the ricotta for fat free cottage cheese and was really pleased. My only complaint was that it seemed like the dish was overwhelmed by spinach, but that's a simple solution. All in all my family and I loved it and will definitely be making it again.

    ReplyDelete
  158. Made this for dinner tonight - and made 2 additional pans to take to people recovering from surgery. SO delicious...my 15 year old daughter still has no idea she ate spinach tonight! Thank you, Gina...you made 3 families very happy :).

    ReplyDelete
  159. Hello Gina, this looks delicious - can't wait to make it. What kind of Parmesan cheese does the recipe call for?

    ReplyDelete
  160. Hi gina,
    I am making this tonight and would like to know if i left out the spinach (kids don't like it) and used part skim ricotta instead how does it effect the nutritional information.
    Thanks again for all your hard work that goes into the website!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  161. Do you think that adding (imitation) crab meat would be good in this dish? And if so, any idea on modifications that would need to be made? Thanks for all you do!

    ReplyDelete
  162. I made this for dinner two nights ago and it was a BIG HIT! Thanks!!! :D

    ReplyDelete
  163. Quck Question: Does anyone know the weight per serving size?? I like to weigh my food to be extra accurate. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are so helpful to all, thanks for taking the time to write. If you really like a post, please Stumble it and give it a THUMBS UP!

NO SPAM! Spammers will be blocked and deleted, so please don't waste my time and yours.

If you're waiting for a reply to your comment and have a Blogger profile (it's free to create one and you won't be anonymous) you can click on the SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL link that will show up below and receive all follow up comments on that recipe via email.