Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake

This baked spinach and artichoke pasta is creamy, cheesy and perfect for a tasty weeknight dinner.

Course Main

Cuisine Pasta

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 766kcal

350 g / about 4⅓ cups of pasta (dry weight) I used rigatoni
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium brown onion finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped or put through a garlic press
170 g / about 5½ cups of baby spinach
1 x 390g / 13.75 oz can of artichoke hearts (drained weight 240g/8.5oz) squeeze any liquid from the artichokes and roughly chop them.
1 x 280g /8oz tub of cream cheese I used light cream cheese
60 g /¼ cup of pecorino cheese finely grated
100 ml /½ a cup of double cream (heavy cream)
1 x 125g / just over ½ an 8oz ball of fresh mozzarella cheese grated
½ teaspoon sea salt divided in two
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan.
Add the chopped onion along with a pinch of sea salt and cook for about 15 minutes, until the onion is translucent and springy.
Add the garlic and cook for a minute.
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, minus a minute.
Reserve about half a cup of the pasta water before you drain it.
Next, add the spinach to the onion and cook until wilted slightly. Then add the chopped artichokes. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Now add all the cream cheese and stir until it has melted into the spinach mixture. Then add ¾ of the grated pecorino, stir until melted.
Slowly pour in the cream, stirring it into the cheesy spinach and artichoke mixture.
Now slowly add the pasta water to the sauce, again stirring all the time.
Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Once you have drained the cooked pasta, add it to the saute pan and toss it gently in the sauce.
Tip the pasta into a large casserole dish, top with the grated mozzarella and the remaining pecorino.
Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven at 180°C / 350°F for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the foil then cook for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before serving.

Pasta - I used rigatoni pasta, most short pasta will work for this recipe.
Cream Cheese - I used a light cream cheese, if you use full fat then please adjust the nutritional information accordingly.
Casserole Dish - my casserole dish measured 30cm/12 inches long, 20cm/8 inches wide adn had a depth of 6.5cm/2.5 inches.
Nutritional Information - is approximate and is calculated using an online nutrition tool.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients using a digital scale if possible, for best results.