Description
A creamy and delicious Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake featuring rigatoni pasta tossed in a cheesy spinach and artichoke sauce, baked to golden perfection with mozzarella and pecorino cheese on top. This hearty dish combines fresh vegetables and rich dairy for a comforting meal perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 350 g pasta (dry rigatoni)
- 1 medium brown onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped or pressed
- 170 g baby spinach (about 5½ cups)
- 1 can artichoke hearts 390 g (drained weight 240 g), roughly chopped
Dairy and Cheese
- 1 tub cream cheese 280 g (light cream cheese)
- 60 g pecorino cheese finely grated (¼ cup)
- 100 ml double cream (heavy cream, ½ cup)
- 125 g fresh mozzarella cheese grated (just over half an 8 oz ball)
Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the onions: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the finely chopped onion with a pinch of sea salt. Cook for about 15 minutes until the onion is translucent and springy.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the rigatoni following the package instructions, but reduce the cooking time by one minute to keep it slightly firm. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Wilt the spinach and add artichokes: Add the baby spinach to the sauté pan with onions and cook until slightly wilted. Then add the chopped artichoke hearts and cook together for a few minutes.
- Create the cheese sauce: Add the cream cheese to the pan and stir until melted into the spinach and artichokes. Mix in ¾ of the grated pecorino cheese until melted and combined.
- Add cream and pasta water: Slowly pour in the double cream while stirring to combine. Gradually add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, stirring continuously to create a smooth sauce.
- Season the sauce: Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to taste.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the drained pasta to the sauté pan and gently toss to coat the rigatoni evenly with the creamy spinach-artichoke sauce.
- Assemble the bake: Transfer the pasta mixture into a large casserole dish. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and the remaining pecorino evenly on top.
- Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese topping is golden and the sauce is bubbling.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Pasta: Rigatoni is ideal, but any short pasta like penne or ziti will work well.
- Cream Cheese: Light cream cheese was used, but you can substitute with full-fat cream cheese; nutritional information will vary accordingly.
- Casserole Dish: The recommended dish is about 30 cm x 20 cm x 6.5 cm (12 in x 8 in x 2.5 in) to hold the pasta evenly.
- Nutritional info is approximate and calculated with online tools; it may vary with ingredient brands or substitutions.
- Measurements: For best accuracy, weigh ingredients with a digital scale rather than relying solely on volume measures.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
