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Mediterranean-Inspired Spinach & Feta Baked Pasta

Spinach, dill, lemon, and feta in a light creamy bake

Editorial demo · awaiting kitchen verification

A meatless baked ziti inspired by Mediterranean spinach-and-feta flavors: wilted spinach, fresh dill, lemon, and salty feta in a light béchamel with mozzarella.

Editorial demo. This recipe documents a standard method but has not yet been cooked and tasted by our kitchen. It is not presented as tested, carries no ratings, and is excluded from search indexing until a real test round is logged. See our testing policy.
Mediterranean baked pasta with spinach, crumbled feta, cherry tomatoes and black olives under a baked top
Illustrative photography of baked pasta — original photography pending

How it layers, top to bottom

Photography to come

  1. Browned mozzarellaUncovered, until it blisters
  2. Ziti + sauceUndercooked by two minutes
  3. Ricotta, egg, ParmigianoSet, so it slices clean
  4. Ziti + sauceGenerous — it drinks liquid
  5. Sauce, on the baseSo nothing catches

Bake at 375°F (190°C) until the centre reaches 165°F (74°C).

Prep
25 min
Cook
40 min
Total
75 min
Yield
One 9×13-inch pan
Jump to recipe

This is an inspired adaptation drawing on broadly Mediterranean flavors — spinach, feta, dill, and lemon appear across Greek, Levantine, and Eastern Mediterranean cooking (think of the filling in spanakopita). How this differs: 'Mediterranean' spans many distinct national cuisines, and this recipe does not represent any single one or claim authenticity. It simply borrows a familiar spinach-feta-herb flavor profile and works it into an Italian-American-style baked pasta with béchamel and mozzarella.

Ingredients

Ingredients now scaled for 10 servings.

Light béchamel
Greens & pasta
Cheese

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Large pot

Directions

  1. 1

    Heat oven to 375°F (190°C) and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

  2. 2

    Melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute, then whisk in warm milk until thickened. Off heat, stir in lemon zest and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

    ⏲ Make béchamel: ~8 min

    Look for: Sauce coats the back of a spoon and holds a clean line when you draw a finger through it.

  3. 3

    Boil the ziti 2 minutes short of al dente; drain.

    ⏲ Undercook pasta: ~8 min

    Look for: Firm with a chalky center.

  4. 4

    Combine pasta, spinach, scallions, dill, lemon juice, most of the béchamel, half the feta, and half the mozzarella.

  5. 5

    Spread in a greased dish; top with the remaining béchamel, mozzarella, and feta.

  6. 6

    Bake covered 20 minutes, then uncovered 15–20 minutes until golden and bubbling.

    ⏲ Bake: ~40 min

    Look for: Top is golden and the center is steaming hot.

    Food safety: Bake and reheat until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).

  7. 7

    Rest 10 minutes before serving.

    ⏲ Rest: ~10 min

Troubleshooting & common mistakes

  • Not squeezing the spinach dry, which makes the bake watery.
  • Adding all the feta inside — reserve some for the top, where it browns nicely.

Make-ahead, storage & reheating

Make ahead
Assemble up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate; add a splash of milk and time to the covered bake from cold.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freezes acceptably; béchamel may loosen, so stir after reheating to 165°F (74°C).
Reheating
Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) with a splash of milk.

Recipe notes

  • Feta is already salty; taste before adding extra salt to the béchamel.
  • This is an inspired adaptation of broadly Mediterranean spinach-feta flavors — it does not represent any single national cuisine or claim authenticity.

FAQ

Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes — thaw it and squeeze it very dry (frozen spinach holds a lot of water), then use it in place of the wilted fresh spinach.
Is this a Greek dish?
No. It borrows a spinach-feta-dill-lemon profile common around the Mediterranean but is built as an Italian-American-style baked pasta; it isn't a traditional Greek recipe.

Nutrition (estimate)

Per 1 of 10 servings: ~440 kcal, 18 g protein, 50 g carbs, 19 g fat.

Estimated from listed quantities via a standard USDA-based database; approximate, not lab-verified.

Pantry · shelf-stable

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Shelf-stable staples for this recipe. Fresh cheese, produce, and meat are best bought locally. As an Amazon Associate, ZitiRecipe earns from qualifying purchases.

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