Creamy Artichoke Pasta Bake (Printable)

Creamy casserole with pasta, artichoke hearts, spinach, and rich Parmesan sauce. Vegetarian comfort food.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
03 - 4 oz fresh baby spinach
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup whole milk
08 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Topping

14 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a large baking dish with 2-quart capacity.
02 - Bring salted water to boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
04 - Add baby spinach to skillet and cook until completely wilted, approximately 2 minutes. Stir in drained artichoke hearts and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - In a saucepan, heat heavy cream and whole milk over medium-low heat. Gradually stir in Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue stirring until cheese melts completely and sauce achieves smooth consistency, approximately 3 minutes.
06 - Transfer cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed vegetables and cream sauce. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
07 - Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with melted butter. Distribute breadcrumb mixture evenly over surface. Top with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and sauce bubbles at edges. Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples and turns them into something that feels special enough for guests.
  • The artichokes add a sophisticated bite without any extra work.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
  • You can prep everything ahead and just pop it in the oven when youre ready.
02 -
  • Dont overcook the pasta before baking, it will turn mushy in the oven if its already fully cooked.
  • Make sure your cream sauce is smooth before mixing it with the pasta, lumps are hard to fix once everything is combined.
  • Let the casserole rest after baking, cutting into it too soon will cause the sauce to run everywhere.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre grated, it melts smoother and tastes infinitely better.
  • Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry skillet before adding butter for an extra layer of nutty flavor.
  • If youre making this ahead, assemble everything up to the baking step and refrigerate, then bake it fresh when youre ready to eat.
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