This Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake tastes just like the classic dip, but turned into dinner. It’s ultra creamy, packed with spinach and artichokes, and finished with either buttery golden breadcrumbs or melty vegan cheese. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal, potluck, or cozy family dinner.
If you’re the kind of person who could happily eat spinach artichoke dip as a full meal, well, you can sit next to me because SAME. And this vegan spinach artichoke pasta bake brings that same creamy-cheesy-garlicky vibe to the dinner table. Basically, it’s everything you love about the dip in the form of a pasta casserole. It’s loaded with spinach, tender artichokes, and pasta to make it a proper meal, all coated in a rich, creamy cashew sauce.
Why This Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake Is the Best Kind of Comfort Food
- Dip transformed into dinner: This recipe has the creamy, tangy flavors of spinach artichoke dip, but in a hearty pasta bake.
- Ultra creamy sauce: Cashews blend into a rich, silky sauce that makes this pasta bake incredibly creamy without any dairy.
- Customizable topping: Go for crispy buttery breadcrumbs or melty vegan cheese.
- Great for sharing: This is a true crowd-pleaser, even non-vegans love it.
Ingredients for Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
- Pasta: Use a short pasta like penne, ziti, rotini, or bow ties.
- Creamy cashew sauce: Raw cashews form the base, then you’ll need plant-based milk to make it saucy, with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper for flavor.
- Vegetables: Yellow onion, garlic, spinach, and marinated artichokes (for best flavor) are cooked in olive oil.
- Breadcrumb topping: Option one! Breadcrumbs mixed with melted vegan butter give the casserole a golden, crispy finish.
- Cheesy topping: Option two! Vegan mozzarella for a melty, classic baked pasta vibe.
How to Make Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving a little pasta water in case you need it later.
- Blend the Sauce: Add the cashews, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Soften the Onion: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the Garlic and Spinach: Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
- Combine: Remove from heat and stir in the artichokes, cooked pasta, and sauce. Mix until everything is evenly coated. Add a splash of pasta water or plant milk if needed to loosen.
- Assemble and Bake: Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish and spread evenly. Add your chosen topping. Bake until hot and bubbly. If using cheese, cover first, then uncover to finish. If using breadcrumbs, bake uncovered until golden.
Tips and Variations
- Swapping in frozen spinach: This absolutely works instead of fresh, but be sure to thaw and squeeze out excess moisture to avoid a watery pasta bake.
- Adjust the sauce: If it thickens too much, add a splash of pasta water or plant milk to loosen it up.
- Oil-free option: Sauté the onion and garlic with a splash of water or broth instead of oil. Use plain breadcrumbs or a cheese topping instead of butter.
- Gluten-free option: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta (I’m a fan of brown rice pasta) and gluten-free breadcrumbs, or opt for the cheesy topping instead.
- Cashew substitutes: Use macadamia nuts, blanched almonds, or sunflower seeds. Boil for 15 minutes to soften them up before blending.
How to Serve This Pasta Bake
This dish is hearty enough to stand on its own, but if you want to add a little something extra, here are some ideas:
Storage
Store leftover spinach artichoke pasta bake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350ºF oven or microwave until warmed through. (I don’t recommend freezing this because the pasta will be mushy and the sauce won’t be as creamy.)
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Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake
This Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake tastes just like the classic dip, but turned into dinner. It’s ultra creamy, packed with spinach and artichokes, and finished with either buttery golden breadcrumbs or melty vegan cheese. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal, potluck, or cozy family dinner.
Servings: – 8
Ingredients
For the Topping (choose one):
Instructions
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Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish.
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Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.Tip: Reserve ½ cup of pasta water in case you need it later.
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Soften the cashews (optional): If you have a high-powered blender, you can skip this step. Otherwise, add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes until very tender. Drain and rinse well before using in the sauce. (Softening the cashews helps them blend smoothly into a creamy sauce.)
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Blend the sauce: Add the cashews, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
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Cook the vegetables: In a large skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlci and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Reduce heat to low, add the spinach, cover, and cook until wilted (about 2 to 3 minutes), stirring as needed.
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Combine: Remove from heat. Add the artichokes, cooked pasta, and all of the cashew sauce. Stir until everything is evenly coated. If it looks too thick, stir in a splash of reserved pasta water or a bit more plant milk until it’s nice and saucy.
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Transfer: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
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Top and bake (choose one):Cheesy topping: Sprinkle with vegan mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until melty and lightly golden.Breadcrumb topping: Toss breadcrumbs with melted vegan butter, sprinkle over top, and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
Notes
Oil-free option: Skip the olive oil and sauté the onion/garlic with a splash of water or broth instead. For the topping, skip the vegan butter and either use plain breadcrumbs (still works, just less rich), or top with my Melty Stretchy Gooey Mozzarella.
Gluten-free option: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs, or opt for the cheesy topping instead.
Substitute for cashews: Cashews are my favorite because they’re mild and ultra creamy, but you can also use macadamia nuts, blanched almonds, or raw sunflower seeds. Boil for about 15 minutes to soften then drain and rinse well before blending (regardless of blender strength).
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving with breadcrumb topping (recipe makes 8 servings) | Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 603mg | Potassium: 629mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3982IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 4mg
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