Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
The flavor of your favorite party dip + the comfort of pasta.
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The spinach artichoke dip is usually the first one to go at any given party. And for good reason. It’s creamy and the flavor combo of earthy spinach and mild artichokes is second to none. So what if you took that very same flavor combo and paired it with a comforting and cheesy pasta bake? Trust me, it’s as excellent as it sounds.
You start by sauteeing some onions and garlic in butter until they’re soft and fragrant, and then adding spinach to the pan and letting it wilt.
The sauce is just a simple matter of whisking some cornstarch into some milk and then letting that simmer with some sour cream and cream until it has thickened.
Artichoke hearts and spinach add some more of that signature flavor and everything gets tossed with some curly gemelli or fusilli pasta and baked until irresistibly bubbly.
It’s a creamy bake that’s quick enough to work for a busy weeknight, but is the perfect choice when you need some comfort in a bowl. After all, what else would you expect from something that manages to marry the chewy comfort of pasta and the flavor of spinach-artichoke dip?
Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb gemelli or fusilli pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped and packed
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup Swiss cheese, grated
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just barely al dente. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add spinach and cook until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir cornstarch into milk until completely dissolved, then stir into spinach mixture. Stir in cream and sour cream. Let simmer 5 minutes.
- Add artichokes and parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Let simmer 5 more minutes.
- Stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water; add more until desired consistency is reached.
- Pour sauce over drained pasta and toss to coat. Transfer to baking dish and top with Swiss cheese. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Simply Delicious Food.