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This recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Pasta is a delicious vegetarian dinner made with tender orzo pasta, spinach, and artichokes, all mixed into a creamy homemade Alfredo sauce and baked until hot and bubbly. It pairs perfectly with a crisp and zesty side like my La Scala chopped salad for a fresh and delicious meal.
5 Star Review
“Love this recipe! The flavors work so well together and so easy to make. Yes, you do have to use three pots and pans, but not a big hassle.” – JTMWSON
Spinach and artichokes and orzo… tossed in Alfredo sauce… and baked. Yup. Dangerous. Delicious.
In full transparency, this casserole was born out of me trying not to eat an entire jar of marinated artichokes straight from the pantry. So, to save myself—and to leave a few artichokes for the rest of the family—I made this ridiculously good baked pasta situation.
Remember that one time we made skinny chicken fettuccine Alfredo? This is kind of like that, except… not really. I used that same lightened-up Alfredo sauce, but instead of chicken, I paired it with the ultimate duo: spinach and artichokes. Honestly, those two could never go wrong. Wherever they go, together, it just works.
How To Make Spinach and Artichoke Pasta
- Boil: Cook the orzo according to the package directions, then drain it and set it aside.
- Whisk: In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté the garlic. Stir in flour, then slowly whisk in vegetable broth. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens.
- Melt: Take the skillet off the heat and stir in parmesan until melted. Whisk in the yogurt until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. If it gets too thick, splash in a bit more broth.
- Sauté: In another skillet, cook the onions in olive oil with a pinch of salt. Add the spinach and let it wilt, then stir in the artichokes and cook for another minute.
- Combine: Add the cooked orzo to the skillet with the veggies. Pour in the Alfredo sauce and stir everything together until combined.
- Bake: Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish, sprinkle with shredded cheese, and bake at 350˚F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly.
- Rest: Let it sit for about 8 to 10 minutes before serving, then grab a fork and go for it!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Use a whisk! Seriously, don’t skip it. A whisk is key for a smooth Alfredo sauce. A spoon just won’t cut it—unless you’re going for clumpy vibes (please don’t 😅).
- Squeeze the spinach. If you’re using frozen spinach instead of fresh, make sure to thaw and squeeze out all the water. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a watery casserole. No one wants that.
- Add protein. Want to make this heartier? Stir in some cooked shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even cooked Italian sausage before baking. Game-changer.
- Swap the orzo. You can use cooked long grain rice instead.
- Make it ahead. Prep the whole dish up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready to serve!
- Freeze it. Just assemble, skip the bake, and freeze. Thaw overnight, bake it the next day, and dinner’s done.
- Veggie boost. Stir in peas, mushrooms, or roasted red peppers with the spinach.
ENJOY!
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Spinach and Artichoke Pasta
Ingredients
For The Pasta
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- water, for the orzo
For The Alfredo Sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For The Spinach And Artichokes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 to 8 ounces baby spinach
- 14 ounces jar or can of marinated quartered artichokes, drained
- ½ cup shredded italian-blend cheeses, for topping
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350˚F, lightly grease a casserole dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the orzo according to the directions on the box; drain and set aside.
- Saute the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add flour and broth. Stir in the flour, increase the heat to medium-high, and stir until combined with the oil and garlic. Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth. Cook and whisk until the mixture boils and thickens; remove from heat.
- Add cheese and yogurt. To the flour mixture, stir in the parmesan cheese; stir until melted. Whisk in the yogurt and whisk until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. The sauce will continue to thicken as it stands. If the sauce is too thick, add a little broth to reach the desired consistency. Set aside.
- Saute the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the sliced onions and salt and cook for 2 minutes, or until just tender. Add spinach and cook for 2 more minutes, or until wilted. Stir in the artichokes and continue to cook for 1 more minute.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the cooked and drained orzo to the skillet. Then, stir in the prepared Alfredo sauce.
- Bake. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.
- Finish and serve. Remove from oven and let stand 8 to 10 minutes before serving.
Equipment
Nutrition
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.
This was amazing! Thank you!
Love this recipe! The flavors work so well together and so easy to make. Yes, you do have to use three pots and pans, but not a big hassle.
can this be made a day ahead….any changes, if doing so?
Hi!
Do you mean that you want to prep it, but not bake it until the next day? If so, then just don’t mix the sauce into the orzo pasta mixture until you are ready to bake it. And, before adding in the prepared sauce, I’d heat it up and give it a good stir before mixing it all together.
IF you want to prepare it and bake it, but wait until the next day to serve, then just keep it in the fridge (wrapped), until ready to serve. Heat it up in the oven at 350˚F for 10-ish minutes, or until warmed through.
I see this can be frozen. Should it be before baking or after?
Do you drain the artichokes, or dump in the brine?
Hi!
Yes, drain the artichokes. I’ll make a note of it in the recipe. Thank you!😊
Such a wonderful combo, looks yum!
Love spinach and artichoke together!
A mouthwatering combination of flavors. I need to make this as soon as possible!
Hello! I’m getting ready to prepare this dish. Silly question: Is it one cup cooked orzo? Or one cup dry measure, cooked to equal about 2.5 cups?
HI! Yep, you want to start with one cup dry (uncooked) orzo.
Thanks!
Want to try this!!! I was wondering do you think the yogurt could be greek yogurt? I’ve been trying to eat healthier.