Ok, so this isn’t actually baked, but that’s what makes this dish so easy and quick for a weeknight dinner. I actually used leftover ricotta from my Lightened Up Summer Vegetable Lasagna, so you may have to fidget with the measurements a bit to get the amount right for this dish. You could also just use low-fat ricotta, and some salt and pepper. This is the kind of dish that you can alter to include whatever vegetables you like.
Weeknight “Baked” Ricotta Pasta
Serves 3-4.
1 cup of ricotta mixture from Lightened Up Summer Vegetable Lasagna, or just plain low fat ricotta
1 package of dry whole wheat pasta (fusilli or penne are good options)
½ white onion, sliced thin
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 cups fresh or frozen spinach
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
- Cook pasta according to package’s instructions. Drain and place back in the pot.
- In a separate pan, sauté onion, tomatoes and spinach for about 5-10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add ricotta mixture, vegetables, parmesan, salt, and pepper to pasta and heat on low until warm and parmesan cheese is melted.
Looks amazing.
Do you think it will be OK if I replace the whole wheat pasta with gluten free pasta and the Parmesan cheese with low fat cheese like feta or something?
I think so. You may need to change the cooking time based on the directions for the gluten free pasta and you could certainly replace the parmesan with another cheese, or omit it completely. Enjoy!