Description
A creamy Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake combining tender rigatoni with a rich blend of cream cheese, pecorino, mozzarella, spinach, and artichokes, baked to golden perfection for a comforting and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 350 g dry rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
- 170 g baby spinach (about 5½ cups)
- 1 x 390 g can of artichoke hearts (drained weight 240 g), roughly chopped
Cheese and Dairy
- 280 g light cream cheese
- 60 g pecorino cheese, finely grated
- 100 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 125 g fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare onion: Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion with a pinch (about ¼ teaspoon) of sea salt and cook for about 15 minutes until translucent and springy.
- Add garlic: Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook pasta: Cook the rigatoni according to the package instructions minus 1 minute for al dente texture. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Wilt spinach and add artichokes: Add the spinach to the onion mixture and cook until slightly wilted, then add the chopped artichokes and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Make sauce: Add the cream cheese to the pan and stir until melted into the spinach mixture. Stir in ¾ of the grated pecorino cheese until melted. Gradually pour in the double cream, stirring continuously.
- Add pasta water and season: Slowly incorporate the reserved pasta water into the sauce, stirring constantly. Season with remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the drained pasta to the sauté pan and toss gently to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Assemble bake: Transfer the pasta mixture into a large casserole dish. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and the remaining pecorino cheese evenly on top.
- Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Pasta: Rigatoni is used, but any short pasta will work well for this bake.
- Cream Cheese: Light cream cheese is used here; using full-fat cream cheese will increase calorie and fat content.
- Casserole Dish: The recommended size is roughly 30cm x 20cm x 6.5cm (12 in x 8 in x 2.5 in) for even cooking.
- Nutritional Info: Calculations are approximate, based on an online nutrition tool.
- Measurements: Use a digital scale for best accuracy, as cup and spoon volumes can vary by brand.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
