Creamy Ziti Florentine

Creamy Ziti Florentine is a good weeknight recipe to have in your back pocket. Made with spinach, green onions, lemon, and ricotta cheese. Quick and easy stove-top recipe!

Creamy Ziti Florentine
Sally Vargas

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is known as the birthplace of the Renaissance. But art is not its only treasure.

The food of Florence is renowned, albeit simple and with roots in peasant cuisine. One famous dish, a hefty Tuscan steak, is grilled and often served on a bed of spinach with a few lemon wedges.

What Does 'Florentine' Mean in Cooking?

In fact this dark, leafy green is so frequently found in dishes from this region that seeing the tag "Florentine" in the name of a recipe usually implies that spinach is involved. Chicken Florentine, Quiche Florentine, and now this one – Ziti Florentine!

Creamy Ziti Florentine
Sally Vargas

When shopping for ingredients, seek out the very best ricotta you can find. If you live near an Italian market, you will probably find some ricotta that's a few cuts above the standard supermarket brand. It should be rich and creamy, which is the secret to making a swoon-worthy pasta dish without a drop of cream.

One other note of importance: the term al dente.

What’s the deal with cooking pasta ‘until al dente’? The term literally means "to the tooth." When it comes to cooking pasta, it means pasta cooked until it is tender but still has some chewiness when you bite into it.

Creamy Ziti Florentine
Sally Vargas

Why Cook Pasta al Dente?

This is important because in Italian cooking, the pasta is often added to the sauce and cooked for another minute or two before being served. That means the pasta absorbs some the flavorful sauce rather than just being coated with it, and because it was al dente, it won't become mushy or overcooked.

When you are in a pinch for time, you can always turn to pasta, and this one is a real winner. Not much fuss, and with a big reward.

Creamy Ziti Florentine
Sally Vargas

Creamy Ziti Florentine

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry ziti pasta

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 bunch scallions, whites and light green parts only, thinly sliced

  • 4 cups (about 4 ounces) baby spinach leaves

  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, plus more for garnish

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 1 cup (about 8 ounces) fresh ricotta

  • 1/2 cup loosely packed torn basil leaves

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method

  1. Cook the pasta:

    Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

    Add the ziti and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until al dente (firm to the bite). Scoop out and reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water, and drain the pasta in a colander.

  2. Meanwhile, cook the scallions and spinach:

    In a large skillet over medium, heat the olive oil. Add the scallions and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until the scallions soften. Add the spinach and cook, turning with tongs, for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until it wilts.

    Creamy Ziti Florentine
    Sally Vargas
    Creamy Ziti Florentine
    Sally Vargas
    Creamy Ziti Florentine
    Sally Vargas
    Creamy Ziti Florentine
    Sally Vargas
  3. Finish the pasta:

    Add the cooked ziti to the skillet, along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest, ricotta, basil, and parsley. Stir vigorously until combined.

    Add more pasta cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

    Creamy Ziti Florentine
    Sally Vargas
    Creamy Ziti Florentine
    Sally Vargas
    Creamy Ziti Florentine
    Sally Vargas
  4. Serve the pasta:

    Spoon the ziti into shallow bowls and sprinkle with more Parmesan.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
417 Calories
11g Fat
61g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 417
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 257mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 61g 22%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 8mg 38%
Calcium 227mg 17%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 353mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.