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Overhead view of a golden ricotta spinach bake in a ceramic dish with one square lifted, showing melted cheese and spinach layers

Cheesy High-Protein Ricotta Spinach Bake for Dinner

A baked ricotta and spinach casserole with eggs and two cheeses, packing close to 24g of protein per square.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Healthy
Calories: 325

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g Ricotta cheese, part-skim about 2 cups
  • 3 Eggs, large
  • 300 g Fresh spinach or 250 g frozen, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 150 g Mozzarella, shredded, part-skim about 1.5 cups, divided
  • 50 g Parmesan, grated about 1/2 cup, divided
  • 2 Garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 tsp Dried oregano or Italian seasoning

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Grease a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13-inch baking dish with a little of the olive oil.
  2. Heat the remaining olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the spinach in batches and cook 3 to 4 minutes until fully wilted.
  3. Transfer the wilted spinach to a colander to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel until no more liquid drips out. Chop roughly.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta and eggs together until smooth and no streaks remain.
  5. Stir in half the mozzarella, half the parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and oregano until evenly combined.
  6. Fold the chopped spinach into the ricotta mixture until it's evenly distributed throughout.
  7. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer with a spatula.
  8. Scatter the remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the top.
  9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden and the center reaches 165 F / 74 C on an instant-read thermometer with no jiggle.
  10. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing into squares and serving.

Notes

  • Squeeze spinach bone dry before mixing, wet spinach ruins the set.
  • Rest 10 minutes before cutting for clean, sliceable squares.
  • Bake until the center reaches 165 F / 74 C for a fully set texture.
  • Grate parmesan fresh if you can, it melts and tastes sharper.