Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
on Jun 05, 2021, Updated Apr 12, 2024
This pasta bake recipe features the classic flavors of spinach artichoke dip. An easy vegetarian dinner idea that is full of cheesy delicious flavor!
Spinach artichoke dip is one of my favorite appetizers.
I took all of the flavors from that recipe and turned it into a cheesy baked pasta dinner!
Everyone loves baked rigatoni recipes and this one does not disappoint.
The sauce is made similar to this cream cheese pasta and is so creamy and delicious.
Ingredients to make spinach artichoke pasta
- Rigatoni pasta: we love rigatoni for this dish, but any kind of pasta will work!
- fresh garlic: none of the jarred stuff, please. Fresh minced garlic adds so much flavor!
- yellow onion
- baby spinach
- artichoke hearts
- cream cheese: for the easiest creamy sauce
- mozzarella
- fresh parmesan: don’t skip grating it yourself, it’s worth it!
- butter
- cornstarch: to thicken the sauce
How to make this spinach artichoke pasta bake
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Step 1: Cook the rigatoni according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water to make the sauce and set it aside.
Step 2: Melt butter in a large pot or dutch oven like I used. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, around 5 minutes.
While the garlic and onion are cooking, go ahead and drain and chop up the artichoke hearts and chop the spinach. Set aside as we will need these soon.
Step 3: Add the cream cheese, reserved pasta cooking water, and parmesan cheese and whisk for around 10 minutes to combine. Whisk in the cornstarch to thicken the sauce and stir until creamy.
Step 4: Stir the cooked rigatoni, spinach, and artichoke hearts into the sauce until combined.
Step 5: Grease a casserole 9 by 13 dish and transfer the spinach artichoke pasta into it.
Top the pasta with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
How long to bake pasta
Cooked pasta does not need very long to bake and the melted cheese is a good indicator that it is nice and hot throughout.
Step 6: Bake at 425 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown on top and is bubbly.
For more crisp on top you can broil for a minute or two on the end. I like to do this to get those delicious browned crispy bits of cheese on top!
You have got to try this pasta bake!
It was so cheesy and tasted just like spinach artichoke dip.
A comfort food vegetarian dinner recipe for sure!
More pasta recipes
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta
- Vegetarian Baked Ziti
- Million Dollar Baked Ziti
- Vegetarian Baked Spaghetti
- Crock Pot Baked Ziti
Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 8 oz baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 14 oz can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 â…“ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups reserved pasta cooking water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Cook rigatoni according to package instructions and set aside 2 cups of pasta cooking water before draining
- Melt butter in a large pot or dutch oven
- Add the minced garlic and diced onion and cook around 5 minutes, until softened
- While the garlic and onion cook, drain and chop the artichokes and chop up the spinach and set aside.
- Add the cream cheese, reserved pasta water, and fresh parmesan. Whisk for 5 – 10 minutes, until melted. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, to thicken the sauce.
- Stir in the cooked rigatoni, chopped spinach, and chopped artichokes. Stir to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the spinach artichoke pasta to a greased 9 X 13 baking dish
- Top with the mozzarella cheese
- Bake at 425 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, until cheese starts to brown on the top and is bubbly
My husband and I both love this dish!! I have made it twice in the last two weeks. We are trying to do at least one meatless dinner every week and this one is a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed it Sandy!
Just wanted to add that this can be frozen! I made it last Tuesday, cooled in the fridge overnight and then froze on Wednesday covered with aluminum foil. I pulled it out of the freezer Saturday morning and let it thaw in the fridge for about 24 hours then warm to room temp before baking tonight for dinner. Big thing is no drastic changes in temperature to avoid cracking any glass casserole dish. Enjoy!
Good to know!
Can you prep the bake the night before and eat the next day?