Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
This Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake is the definition of vegetarian comfort food. If you are a fan of the classic dip, you will love this 45 minute recipe.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti or any medium pasta shells or short, tubular pasta will work
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz.) Drained, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves* prewashed
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup shaved or grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Fill a pot with water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta liquid, drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet (preferably oven-proof) over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute until it is lightly browned.
- Add in the chopped artichoke hearts and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
- Stir in the cream cheese and ¾ cup of reserved pasta water. Cook, stirring constantly, until it is in a creamy consistency. If it is too thick, you can thin it out using the rest of the pasta liquid. Stir in the lemon zest.
- Transfer the cooked pasta into the pot and add in the shredded mozzarella. Give it a toss making sure that the pasta is evenly distributed in the pot.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
- If preferred, garnish with shaved parmesan cheese and serve.
Video
Notes
- You can use 10 ounces of frozen chopped spinach if you can't get your hands on fresh baby spinach leaves
- Best way to store: Like any pasta dish, this baked artichoke pasta is best the day you make it. However, this pasta will stay fresh for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. Remember to let it reach room temperature before storing it.
When reheating the pasta, you may have to add a little extra water. Adding this liquid will help restore the dish’s tender, moist texture. - Freezing: You can technically freeze this pasta dish. However, I am not a fan of thawed pasta as it gets mushy. Since pasta cooks very quickly and the recipe is an easy one, I would recommend making it fresh rather than freezing it for later.
Nutrition
Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3266IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 2mg
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
