This spinach artichoke pasta is creamy, comforting, and has the same flavors as the classic dip. It's easy to make in about 30 minutes!
Can't get enough of these flavors? Try my Spinach Artichoke Chicken or this Spinach Artichoke Salmon.
Why you'll love it
You really like spinach artichoke dip, but have you ever tried those iconic flavors in a pasta dish? It's such a treat! The sauce is rich and luscious yet has only a handful of everyday ingredients, and it's simple to throw together.
Tangy cream cheese, freshly grated parmesan, baby spinach, garlic, and artichoke hearts... what more could you want? They come together to create a fantastic sauce for this creamy pasta. It's great for a meatless main course, or you can serve it as a decadent side dish.
Ingredients you need
- Pasta - you can use any shape at all, but I love how the sauce perfectly coats a longer noodle like fettuccine
- Olive oil - to sauté the aromatics
- Onion and garlic - the tasty foundation of the sauce
- Broth - you can use either chicken broth or vegetable broth
- Cream cheese - I use a block of Philly
- Italian seasoning - it's a particular blend of dried Italian herbs that's all in a single convenient jar
- Artichokes - we're using canned artichoke hearts to make it easy
- Spinach - fresh is best, but you could use frozen spinach as long as you thaw it and squeeze the water out very thoroughly
- Parmesan cheese - to top it all off. Freshly grated is best for parm!
How to make spinach artichoke pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, sauté the onion in a skillet, then stir in the garlic. Add the chicken or veg broth, cream cheese, and Italian seasoning to the pan.
Stir until the cream cheese has melted in. Reserve about a cup of the hot pasta water prior to draining the pasta. Add the spinach and artichokes to the skillet along with a few tablespoons of the hot pasta water.
Toss (it's easy with tongs) until the spinach has begun to wilt and the sauce has thinned to your liking, adding more pasta water gradually as needed. Stir in the parmesan. Add the pasta to the pan, toss, and enjoy!
Success tips
- This recipe will go much smoother if you ensure the cream cheese is nice and soft. Let it sit on your counter for at least a couple of hours or microwave it until it's soft.
- Don't forget to save some of the hot pasta water prior to draining the pasta. It's an integral part of the sauce!
- I always recommend keeping a wedge of parmesan cheese in the fridge and grating it yourself vs. buying the pre-grated kind.
- Be sure to salt this recipe enough! There's quite a lot of pasta and cream cheese, so it needs a decent amount of salt to not taste bland.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days, but creamy sauces can separate if reheated on too high of a heat or dry out a bit in the fridge. Definitely use a low heat!
- You may need to add a splash of chicken/veg broth to perk up the sauce.
- I don't recommend freezing this recipe.
What to serve with it
- Try some garlic bread or a big slice of crusty bread if serving as a main dish.
- A side salad would work great to balance the richness. Try one with this Simple Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing, or make this Parmesan Arugula Salad!
- As a side dish it pairs well with many main courses such as my Parmesan Crusted Chicken or these Easy Pan Seared Pork Chops.
Questions about this spinach artichoke pasta recipe? Did you make it? Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram or leave me a comment below!
Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces uncooked pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 block Philly) softened
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts drained and chopped
- 3 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Ensure the cream cheese is very soft (you may want to microwave it for 30 seconds or more if you haven't had it sitting out on your counter for a couple hours).
- Boil a pot of salted water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions. You will need to reserve some pasta water before draining it.
- Meanwhile, add the oil and onion to a skillet and sauté over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the broth, cream cheese, and Italian seasoning to the pan. Stir until the cream cheese has mostly melted in (some lumps are ok)... this should take about 3-4 minutes.
- Reserve about a cup of the hot pasta water prior to draining the pasta (you likely won't use it all).
- Take the skillet off the heat, then add the artichokes and spinach, along with a few tablespoons of the hot pasta water. Toss (either use tongs or two fairly large spoons) and add more of the pasta water gradually until the sauce is thinned to your liking and the spinach is starting to wilt.
- Stir the parmesan into the sauce.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss. Add a splash more of the hot pasta water if needed. Season with salt & pepper (I'm generous with both). Serve immediately.
Notes
- 8-12 oz. of pasta will work for this recipe as it makes quite a lot of sauce. (that's about half to 3/4 of a standard one pound box of pasta).
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Carol Cooley says
Made this tonight for dinner. Added leftover Costco chicken at the end. It was delicious! Husband went back for seconds!
Natasha says
I'm thrilled to hear that, Carol! 😀 Thanks for your review!