Creamy Spinach Artichoke Penne Pasta
Feb 08, 2014, Updated Feb 18, 2026
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This creamy penne pasta is made with sautéed spinach and artichoke hearts tossed with tender penne and coated in a cheesy, garlicky cream sauce. Rich, comforting, and easy to make, it is perfect for weeknight dinners or a cozy meatless meal.
Why You’ll Love This Spinach Artichoke Pasta
- Creamy without heavy cream. The sauce is made with butter, flour, milk, and melty cheese. It’s rich and cozy without being over-the-top.
- Spinach artichoke dip vibes. Garlic, parmesan, mozzarella, and monterey jack bring all the flavor you love in the classic appetizer.
- Weeknight-friendly. Ready in about 30 minutes. No baking. No drama.
- Family-approved. Even the “I don’t like spinach” crowd usually goes back for seconds.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Penne pasta – Holds onto that creamy sauce perfectly. You can also use rigatoni or rotini.
- Olive oil – For sautéing the garlic and spinach, but you can use whatever cooking oil you prefer.
- Garlic – Freshly minced. Please don’t skip it.
- Fresh spinach – Wilts down quickly and blends right into the sauce.
- Butter – Used for cooking the artichokes and building the roux.
- Artichoke hearts – Canned, rinsed, drained, and quartered.
- All-purpose flour – You’ll need the flour to thicken the sauce.
- Milk (2% works great) – Creates a creamy base without heavy cream.
- Cheeses – You’ll need a mix of shredded Parmesan, mozzarella, and Monterey Jack.
- Extra parmesan & red pepper flakes – For garnish and a little kick.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the spinach. It only needs a couple of minutes.
- Want it extra creamy? Swap half a cup of the milk for half-and-half or heavy cream.
- Add protein. Grilled chicken or sautéed shrimp would be amazing here.
Serving Suggestions
- Garlic bread or warm, crusty bread.
- A simple green kale salad with chicken.
- Air fryer roasted broccoli or asparagus.
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Spinach and Artichoke Creamy Penne Pasta
This veggie-filled pasta recipe is not to be missed! Sautéed spinach and artichoke hearts are tossed with penne pasta and smothered in a cheesy, garlicky cream sauce – yum!
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 ounces penne pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 9 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 14 ounces can (or jar) artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk, or half and half
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.
- Sauté the garlic and spinach. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for 15 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in the spinach and continue to cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a large bowl, and set aside.
- Sauté the artichokes. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add artichokes and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss the artichokes with the spinach.
- Make the sauce. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute while whisking. Then, whisk in the milk, salt, and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the shredded cheeses and whisk until completely melted and the sauce is thickened.
- Combine. Slowly stir the cooked pasta into the sauce, then add the spinach and artichokes, mixing until thoroughly combined.
- Serve. Remove from heat. Garnish with grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes, and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 773mg | Potassium: 665mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 6557IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 445mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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Just made this! Excellent middle-of-the-night food;)
haha! 🙂 That’s what I call satisfying the soul! 😀 Glad you enjoyed it!!