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Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta

a plate of creamy pasta.
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Spinach artichoke dip meets penne pasta in this easy dinner recipe! If you’re a fan of the classic dip, you will love this pasta recipe.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces penne
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup frozen chopped spinach (see note)
  • 1 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts, drained (about 6 ounces)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Boil pasta according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the starchy water and set it aside.
  2. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once it’s melted, adjust the heat to medium and add the garlic, spinach, artichokes, salt, and Italian seasoning. Stir and cook the mixture until the spinach is cooked through.
  3. Add the half and half to the pan and stir. Once it’s steaming hot, add the cream cheese and stir until it melts. Add the Parmesan and stir until it’s melted into the sauce.
  4. Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Add a few splashes of the reserved pasta water and stir. Garnish with grated Parmesan and parsley, if using.

Notes

Use frozen chopped spinach in a bag to make it easy to measure out one cup (instead of a block of frozen spinach).

I think this pasta is best when made, but leftovers will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to reheat the leftovers, warm them up in a pan over medium-low to medium heat. The sauce will thicken once it’s chilled, so I like to add a couple of splashes of half and half or milk to loosen it.

If you want more protein, toss some diced or shredded cooked chicken in the sauce before adding the pasta. Rotisserie chicken would work great.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/creamy-spinach-artichoke-pasta/