Spinach Artichoke Pasta Casserole
Since the invention of appetizers, spinach-artichoke anything has been at the top of our list. This time, we used our favorite ingredients to make this knockout spinach artichoke pasta casserole recipe.
Frozen artichoke hearts and spinach are some of the best bargain buys at the supermarket. This means you can prepare our hearty recipe to feed everyone on a budget. The fact that it’s inexpensive yet elegant makes this dish idea an ace in the hole any time you have to serve guests.
Your vegetarian friends will be thrilled, and our test kitchen participants were thrilled to enjoy a spinach and artichoke meal that’s acceptable to enjoy with a fork (rather than a chip)! Add some red pepper flakes for heat, but most of all, enjoy!
Spinach Artichoke Pasta Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shells
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 8 oz cream cheese, warmed to soften
- 1 lb baby spinach
- 10 oz box frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9” x 13” casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Place the spinach in a large colander and rinse well. Pour the spinach with water clinging to the leaves into the hot, dry pot and cook until wilted and bright green. Return the spinach to the colander and drain.
- Fill the pot with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook al dente (for about 3 minutes less than the package called for).
- While the pasta is cooking, squeeze the spinach then chop coarsely.
- Drain al dente pasta in the colander and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add diced onion, garlic powder, sour cream, warmed cream cheese, chopped spinach and chopped artichokes and stir to combine.
- Add milk, Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of shredded pepper Jack cheese, salt and red pepper flakes and stir until well combined. Add drained pasta and fold until evenly distributed. Transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish and sprinkle top with remaining ½ cup shredded cheese.
- Bake 30–35 minutes until hot and bubbly and beginning to brown on top. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.