Easy and delicious, this Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta is a flavorful dinner that is packed with spinach, canned artichoke hearts, your favorite pasta, and protein from cottage cheese. Vegetarian, easily gluten free, and done in about 40 minutes.

A serving of baked spinach artichoke pasta on a plate with a fork. There is a bowl of cheese and the tray of the pasta bake next to the plate.

You know that spinach artichoke dip that everyone goes nuts over at every gathering or potluck? Well, now we have turned it into a dinner item by tossing pasta into the mix!

You see, I love to make baked pasta dishes during the chilly months. They are easy to throw together, quick to make, and always a great way to add more veggies to the table. Totally the perfect comfort food to curl up with at the end of a busy day.

The leftovers are magical for lunch the next day and this vegetarian pasta dish recipe comes together in about 40 minutes…start to finish!

This recipe is….

Vegetarian, egg-free, easily gluten free, done in about 40 minutes, and great to make as part of meal prep.

Why you are going to love this Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta?

  • It has all the flavor of spinach artichoke dip but in a dinner recipe. My husband described this baked pasta as the love child of mac and cheese and spinach artichoke dip. I mean, if that description doesn’t make you excited to make this…nothing will.
  • Veggie-loaded. Like, whoa – a whole 9 ounce bag of spinach AND a 14 ounce can of artichokes in this dish. It tastes like heaven and gets a ton of veggies into the belly of yours.
  • Naturally vegetarian and can easily be made gluten free.
  • Great to serve to a crowd or to make as part of meal prep. This Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta reheats beautifully and is loved by all kinds of eaters. Make it for a potluck and be everyone’s new favorite dinner guest.
  • Packed with protein from cottage cheese. People don’t often realize how much protein is in cottage cheese, but it is a great way to pump up the protein in a vegetarian dish while adding a great creamy flavor.
  • Family-friendly. All my recipes go through rigorous taste testing by my family and friends. And while they love me, they take their job very seriously and tell me very bluntly when a recipe is going to work and which is a flop. And this Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta was beloved by all who tried it!
  • Easy to make. Done in about 40 minutes, it is the perfect baked pasta recipe to make on a busy weeknight.
Process shot of how to make spinach artichoke pasta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen spinach? Yes, use 6 to 8 ounces of frozen spinach, but make sure to defrost it and squeeze out any excess moisture from it before adding to the recipe.

Can I use frozen artichoke hearts? Yes, defrost the artichoke hearts, squeeze them dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels, and then roughly chop them before adding them to the recipe.

Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, follow the directions for the Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta up until the point of baking, but then wrap it in foil and place it in the fridge for up to 2 days. The casserole will take longer to bake after being refrigerated, about 20 to 25 minutes total.

Do I have to bake this spinach artichoke pasta? Nope! If you want to get it on the table ASAP and don’t mind skipping the melty cheese on top, you can skip the baking and put this vegetarian pasta dish directly into bowls once you have everything combined in the sauce pan.

Want to make sure you always have fresh spinach on hand for this Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta? Check out my tips & tricks for keeping spinach fresh all week!

Suggested Adaptations

  • Make this gluten free by using your favorite gluten free pasta. I tried this with brown rice pasta and it worked out great.
  • Add cooked chicken or diced sausage if vegetarian isn’t needed.
  • Up the veggies by adding more spinach or even cooked broccoli or cauliflower to the mix.

Spinach artichoke pasta in a baking dish.

Other veggie-loaded pasta recipes to add to the menu

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A tray of baked spinach artichoke pasta on a cooking rack.
A spoon scooping a serving of baked spinach artichoke pasta out of the baking dish.
4.94 from 15 votes

Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Author: Taesha Butler
Easy and delicious, this Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta is a flavorful dinner that is packed with spinach, canned artichoke hearts, your favorite pasta, and protein from cottage cheese. Vegetarian and easily gluten free.
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Ingredients
 

  • 12 ounces small-shaped pasta, like shells or elbows
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 9 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup water
  • 14 ounce canned artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry, and roughly chopped
  • 1 ½ cup cottage cheese
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese, about 2 cups
  • 5 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 400℉. Grease a large casserole dish with olive oil.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat (I use the same pot I cooked the pasta in). Add onion then sprinkle with ½ tsp of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Add the spinach and water. You may need to pack it into the pot to fit but it will cook down and shrink. Place a lid on your pan and cook until the spinach is completely wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the lid then simmer until most of the water in the bottom of the pan has evaporated.
  • Add the chopped artichoke hearts, cottage cheese, cream cheese, ½ of the grated cheddar, 3 tablespoons of parmesan, garlic powder, remaining ½ tsp salt, and pepper. Stir until cream cheese is fully melted and everything is well combined.
  • Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Spread the pasta into your prepared casserole dish then sprinkle the remaining grated cheddar and 2 tablespoon of parmesan cheese over the top. Bake until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Calories: 405kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 966mg, Potassium: 415mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3398IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 334mg, Iron: 2mg