Description
This Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake is a creamy, cheesy, and comforting dish perfect for a cozy dinner. Featuring tender pasta mixed with sautéed spinach, artichoke hearts, and a rich blend of cream cheese, pecorino, and mozzarella, it’s baked to golden bubbly perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 350 g pasta (dry weight, rigatoni recommended)
- 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
- 170 g baby spinach (about 5½ cups)
- 1 x 390 g can artichoke hearts (drained weight 240 g), squeezed and roughly chopped
Cheese and Dairy
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 x 280 g tub light cream cheese
- 60 g pecorino cheese, finely grated
- 100 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 1 x 125 g ball fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion along with a pinch of sea salt and cook for about 15 minutes until the onion is translucent and springy.
- Add garlic: Stir in the finely chopped or pressed garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions, reducing the cooking time by one minute for al dente texture. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Sauté spinach and artichokes: Add the baby spinach to the pan with the onion and cook until it wilts slightly. Add the chopped artichoke hearts and cook together for a couple of minutes.
- Create the sauce: Add all the cream cheese to the pan and stir until melted and combined with the spinach and artichokes. Then stir in ¾ of the grated pecorino cheese until it melts into the mixture.
- Add cream and pasta water: Slowly pour in the double cream while stirring continuously. Gradually add reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and stir well.
- Season sauce: Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, stirring to combine.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the drained pasta to the sauté pan and gently toss to coat well with the sauce.
- Assemble the bake: Transfer the coated pasta mixture into a large casserole dish, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and the remaining pecorino cheese evenly on top.
- Bake: Cover the casserole dish with foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese topping is golden and the sauce is bubbling.
- Rest and serve: Remove the pasta bake from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving to allow the flavors to settle.
Notes
- Most short pasta shapes will work well if rigatoni is not available.
- Using light cream cheese lowers fat content, but full-fat cream cheese can be used; adjust nutrition accordingly.
- Use a casserole dish approximately 30 cm long, 20 cm wide, and 6.5 cm deep for best fit.
- The nutritional information is approximate, calculated via an online nutrition tool.
- For best accuracy in measuring ingredients, especially for US readers, use a digital kitchen scale as cup volumes can vary between brands.
