Spinach and Artichoke Pasta
Our creamy spinach and artichoke pasta is a quick, easy, and super comforting dinner perfect for busy weeknights, especially on a cold day!
Ingredients
- ½ pound penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 15 ounces canned artichoke quarters drained and roughly chopped
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente.
- Once the pasta is boiling, start heating olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, then add the artichokes, season with salt and pepper and cook until the artichokes are slightly softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Next, add the spinach, heavy cream, cream cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan to the saucepan. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring gently and constantly, until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce. Stir in the pasta until it’s fully coated in the creamy spinach and artichoke sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
Chop the artichokes - Even though we recommend buying quartered artichoke hearts, we still like to roughly chop them before adding them to the pot. This way, you’ll get a more even distribution of artichoke flavor throughout the pasta and avoid eating too-large chunks of artichokes (they’re very potent!).
Just keep stirring, stirring, stirring - Once you add the spinach, heavy cream, and cheese to the pot, you’ll want to stir constantly to help the cheese melt and combine evenly as the spinach wilts. Stirring will also help the spinach wilt faster while preventing any of the ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
Add the spinach in batches if needed - You can add the spinach all at once, or stir it into the sauce in small handfuls if you find it easier to manage, or if your saucepan is on the smaller side.
Serving suggestions - We love having a side of Italian bread and dipping oils with this pasta! The bread is also great for sopping up any extra cheese sauce at the bottom of your bowl once the noodles are gone.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4162IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 2mg
