Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake

If you're a fan of spinach artichoke dip and mac and cheese, you'll love this creamy spinach artichoke pasta bake mash-up! Instead of the traditional cream cheese, we use a combination of sour cream and heavy cream, pepper it with nutty Parmesan cheese, and dollop it with mozzarella cheese. It's creamy and cheesy vegetarian comfort food that you can easily make ahead of time.

Lest I steer you down the wrong path, this is NOT the dish to make when you want something light. Nope. This spinach artichoke baked pasta is all about bold flavor, texture, and deep satisfaction. I'm talking cheesy, creamy, savory, and chewy, with slightly crispy bits of golden cheese on top. It delivers BIG flavor.

If you're looking for more baked pasta, don't miss my pasta bake with broccoli, baked taco pasta, and baked leftover spaghetti pasta!

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why This Pasta Bake is the Best
• 🧀 Baked Pasta Ingredients
• 📝 Baked Pasta Variations & Substitutions
• 🔪 How to Make Artichoke and Spinach Pasta
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips and Tricks
• 🍽️ How to Serve Spinach Artichoke Pasta
• 🍝 More Pasta Recipes
• Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake

⭐️ Why This Pasta Bake is the Best

• Rich and creamy pasta bake that tastes like a marriage of spinach artichoke dip and mac & cheese!
• Easy enough for a weeknight but decadent enough for a weekend dinner
• Make ahead instructions provided
• Customizeable - make it dairy-free, bump up the protein, or use your favorite cheese!

🧀 Baked Pasta Ingredients

• Yellow onion - You could also use 3 medium shallots
• Garlic - Using 8 cloves of garlic might seem like too much, but it's necessary to not get lost in all of the dairy!
• Spinach - Use fresh baby spinach, or frozen spinach that has been thawed and drained
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt - Either will work and provide the necessary tangy-ness and creaminess
• Artichoke hearts - Be sure to purchase canned artichokes, NOT ones sold in a jar, as they are usually preserved in oil.
• Parmesan cheese - Adds a nutty and salty component; you could substitute Gruyère cheese for a similar flavor.
• Fresh lemon juice - Brightens up the baked pasta and cuts through some of the richness.
• Rigatoni pasta - You can use any short pasta, like farfalle, rotini, penne, etc.
• Mozzarella cheese - I recommend buying mozzarella that has not been pre-shredded, as it does not melt as well.
• Red pepper flakes - Completely optional, but I like the subtle spicy flavor it provides!

📝 Baked Pasta Variations & Substitutions

• Vegan/dairy-free baked pasta: I have not made a vegan version, but you could use vegan butter, vegan sour cream, coconut milk in place of heavy cream, vegan mozzarella cheese, and nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan cheese. Let me know if you give it a try!
• Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta
• Bump up the protein. This casserole is already pretty high in protein with 21 grams of protein per serving, but if you want even more, add 1 cup of cooked chickpeas, white beans, or firm tofu for extra protein.
• Use your favorite cheese. Havarti, Gouda, Gruyère, and Muenster cheese would all be delicious!
• Add more veggies. Meaty mushrooms would be a great addition, as would 1 cup of broccoli or cauliflower.

🔪 How to Make Artichoke and Spinach Pasta

*For a printable version, see recipe card below.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add diced onion and cook for 7-8 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute.

Add fresh spinach, tossing until wilted. Pour in the heavy cream and sour cream or Greek yogurt. Give it a good stir, and reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, and fresh lemon juice. Mix into spinach mixture, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to (al dente) package instructions. (The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, and we want to avoid mushy pasta!)

Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Add pasta to the creamy spinach mixture along with the reserved pasta water (this will help the sauce stick to the pasta), and stir until well combined.

Transfer pasta mixture to a 9"x13" baking dish (it also fits snugly into an 8"x12" dish) and top with mozzarella cheese and red pepper flakes (if using).

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the sides are bubbly and the cheese starts to turn golden brown on top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips and Tricks

• Storage: Cover and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• How to freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
• How to reheat: You can reheat your pasta in the microwave, or place (covered) leftovers in baking dish into a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
• Use short pasta. Any type of short pasta will work great. Think rotini, farfalle, penne, fusilli, etc.
• Make ahead. Assemble pasta casserole and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Bake according to instructions.

🍽️ How to Serve Spinach Artichoke Pasta

This pasta recipe is hearty enough to be served on its own, but I also love pairing it with:

• a delicious side salad, like this salad with roasted cauliflower
• Accompany your pasta with more vegetables, like asparagus, broccoli, or my garlicky roasted Brussels sprouts
• Pair it with Italian focaccia bread for a hearty meal.

🍝 More Pasta Recipes

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