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Lemony Spinach Pesto Pasta Bake

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Cooking Method: ,
Courses: ,
Servings: 6
Ingredients
  • 3 cup spinach (tightly packed; divided)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 8 clove garlic (roughly chopped)
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
  • salt
  • 2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 lemons (zest, juice, and pulp)
  • 16 oz pasta (cooked almost al dente)
  • 3 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
  1. 1
    For the lemon-spinach pesto, blend 2 3/4 cups spinach with the olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan in a food processor, adding more olive oil if mixture is too thick. Salt to taste.
  2. 2
    Combine ricotta with lemon juice, pulp, and zest, then season with salt to taste. Beat mixture for approximately 3 minutes until smooth.
  3. 3
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish.
  4. 4
    Spread 1/2 cup pesto over the bottom of baking pan. Top with 1/3 of cooked pasta, then 1/3 of ricotta mixture, then 1/3 pesto. Repeat layers. Top final layer with remaining spinach and then mozzarella.
  5. 5
    Bake pasta, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly throughout. Turn oven to broil for 2-3 minutes to lightly brown cheese before removing from oven.
  6. 6
    Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.