Creamy Artichoke Pasta Bake (Printable)

A creamy, comforting casserole with tender pasta, fresh spinach, and artichoke hearts in rich Parmesan cream sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a large baking dish with approximately 2-quart capacity.
02 - Bring salted water to boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
04 - Add fresh spinach to skillet and cook until fully wilted, approximately 2 minutes. Fold in drained artichoke hearts and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - In a saucepan, warm heavy cream and milk over medium-low heat. Gradually stir in grated Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue stirring until cheese is completely melted and sauce reaches smooth consistency, about 3 minutes.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, sautéed vegetable mixture, and prepared cream sauce. Toss thoroughly to ensure even coating. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
07 - In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with melted butter. Distribute topping evenly across casserole surface. Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and sauce is bubbling at edges. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but really you just stirred a few things together and let the oven do the work.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every piece of pasta, and those artichokes add a tangy surprise in every bite.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, which means lunch is already sorted for tomorrow.
02 -
  • Do not skip draining the artichokes well, or the casserole will turn watery and lose its creamy texture.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan, the pre-grated stuff does not melt smoothly and can make the sauce grainy.
  • Let the bake rest after it comes out of the oven, it helps everything hold together when you scoop it out.
03 -
  • Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry skillet for a minute before mixing them with butter, it deepens their flavor and makes the topping even crunchier.
  • Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the cream sauce if you like a subtle kick of heat.
  • Reserve a splash of pasta cooking water before draining, you can stir it in if the sauce needs loosening before baking.
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