Baked Ziti with Pumpkin & Sausage

(4 stars based on 13 reviews)

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Providing wholesome flavors and nutritious benefits, this baked ziti dish has a healthy twist and includes pumpkin, spinach and chicken sausage. It's sure to delight your family's taste buds and have them asking for seconds!

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Baked Ziti with Pumpkin & Sausage

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Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
4 cups (12 oz.) dry regular or whole-wheat ziti
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Fat Free Milk
4 links (12 oz.) fully-cooked Italian-seasoned chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 pkg. (6 oz.) or about 4 cups pre-washed baby spinach
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded part-skim or 2% milk reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (1.5 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 425º F. Spray 4-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

PREPARE pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and set aside for later use. Drain pasta; return to cooking pot.

MEANWHILE, COMBINE pumpkin, flour, garlic powder, salt, nutmeg and cayenne pepper in medium skillet over medium heat. Slowly add evaporated milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken slightly. Pour over pasta in pot. Add sausage and reserved pasta cooking water; stir well.

SPREAD half of the pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with spinach. Cover with remaining pasta mixture. Lightly spray piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover ziti with foil, greased side down.

BAKE for 20 minutes or until heated through. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in small bowl. Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Review This Recipe

Yum

JoAnn Kleintop from PA

this is an awesome, healthy dish! We loved it. Only changed a few things...added spinach with arugula, minced garlic and sea salt and added half of the cheese on top of spinach, then baked and added the remaining cheese...full of flavor!
Good but needs more flavor

Cynthia Dunn from Killeen,tx

First time making it for my family. They liked it but dont love it. Simple ingredients but needs more flavor to add that kick
Not impressed

wahida obaidi from Pennsylvania

I made this dish last night and it was terrible. I will not be making this again.
Good

Sarah Cox from Sun City, CA

I would add cheese into it next time.
tasteless

Patty T. from

I thought this recipe would be so great with flavor and vitamins. It was rich with health, but not flavor :( it lacks. My family wouldn't eat it, even when I added more seasonings.
Baked Ziti with Pumpkin/Sausage

Jayne Golis from Lake Elsinore, CA

Way too easy to make and very delicious. The only problem was getting people passed the color and notion of using pumpkin as a sauce. But that's okay -- more for me!!!
Who Knew??

Pam Uncapher from Saint Johns, FL

Made this dish to share with neighbors and no one could guess it had pumpkin. Everyone asked for seconds. I left out the spinach and added more cheese so the kids would try it but will put spinach next time. It was a hit, will make again.
This one's a keeper!

Judie K. from

This was excellent... the perfect meal for a chilly fall night. The only change I made was using the "bulk" sausage I had on hand (sauteed and crumbled). And I think I'll stick with that for the next time, too. Delicious!
Great Taste and Easy to Make

Sue Shrum from Bowling Green, MO

This was easy to put together. My family liked it and has requested that I make it again soon.
Loved it!

Pat Spencer from Sarasota, FL

Always looking for ways to incorporate more healthy ingredients into my cooking. This did that & also tasted very good. Will make this again.
Too Bland

MARGARET ROACH from Hooksett, NH

Although I am a lover of pumpkin, this dish cooked up to be very mushy and VERY BLAND.Perhaps, halving the pumpkin and milk might help.It did, unfortunately make a large batch which went to waste because my family would not eat it.
Great Pasta Dish!

Denise Salisbury from Oak Harbor, WA

Low cal, very easy & quick to make, very nicely satisfied my pasta-comfort food craving -- an excellent find! I halved the recipe in a 9x9 pan which generously serves 4 at only 300 cal/serving.
Waste of time and effort

judy easter from CEDAREDGE, CO

This was absolutely awful. It had little taste, odd texture and was a waste of good ingredients. My husband will eat almost anything and he won't eat this.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe

Servings Per Recipe: 12 servings

Calories: 200
Calories from Fat: 35
Total Fat: 4g (6% of DV)
Saturated Fat: 1.5g (8% of DV)
Cholesterol: 10mg (3% of DV)
Sodium: 300mg (13% of DV)
Carbohydrates: 31g (10% of DV)
Dietary Fiber: 3g (12% of DV)
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 12g
Vitamin A: 100% of DV
Vitamin C: 4% of DV
Calcium: 15% of DV
Iron: 10% of DV

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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