One-Pot Spinach Artichoke Pesto Pasta is great for when you're craving pasta, but want little clean up. All made in one dutch oven, this dish is even vegetarian. Perfect for Meatless Monday.
Farfalle pasta is combined with white beans, spinach, artichoke hearts, basil pesto, and lots of parmesan cheese. Lemon zest and garlic add lots of flavor. An easy weeknight dinner that is comforting, cozy, but still helps you hit your vegetable quota for the day.
Jump to:
Why I Love It:
- One-Pot Dinner: Hello, easy clean up!
- Loaded with Flavor - From the pesto, artichokes, lemon, and garlic this recipe is so flavorful and anything but boring.
Ingredients:
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Lemon Zest
- Garlic
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Farfalle Pasta
- Can of artichoke hearts
- Can of white beans
- Pesto - use your favorite basil pesto or you can make it yourself!
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Baby Spinach
Easy yet Flavorful
There is so much FLAVOR in this dish. First, we sauté onion until soft then we add our aromatics. Minced garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. After just 30 seconds of sauté time, you will not believe how good it smells. Then just add the water and pasta and bring to a boil.
Cooking the pasta right in this same pot allows the flavors to incorporate with the noodles. The final step is to stir in the remaining ingredients: white beans, spinach, artichokes, pesto, and lots of parmesan cheese.
Variations
- Creamy - If you want a creamier pasta, you can stir in some heavy cream or cream cheese at the end.
- Other Pasta Shapes - You can use a different short shaped pasta like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli.
Recipe FAQs
I like to use my large enameled dutch oven, but any large pot can be used.
Other great uses for artichoke hearts are the classic Spinach Artichoke Dip, topping on pizza, on crostini with ricotta, or on an antipasto platter with salami, cheese, and olives.
Recipe Tips
- Scrape bits off the bottom of the pot - When you add the water to the pot, be sure to scrape any stuck onion or other bits from the bottom of the pot. You don't want them to burn when you cook the pasta.
- Don't overcook the pasta - Before you add the spinach and artichoke, cook the pasta until just under al dente so there is room for it to cook more without becoming mushy.
Leftovers and Storage
- Storage – Leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze – For longer storage, you can freeze the pasta tightly covered, for up to 3 months.
- Reheating – Leftovers pasta can be reheated in the microwave or in a pot on the stove until warmed. You can add a splash of water, broth, or cream when reheating to help loosen everything up.
Serving Ideas
I love to serve this with some crusty bread and some extra parmesan cheese for sprinkling over the top. You won't believe that a dinner this decadent is all made in one pot.
Other One-Pot Pasta Recipes:
- One-Pot Spicy Sausage Pasta - The rigatoni noodles cook right in the spicy Italian sausage sauce that has both crushed tomatoes and basil pesto.
- One-Pot French Onion Pasta - gives you the flavors of French Onion Soup in a filling, slightly creamy pasta recipe. Start with caramelized onions in a large pot then add the remaining ingredients, including the uncooked pasta.
- Lemon Chicken Pasta in One-Pot - So creamy, flavorful, and comes together in about 30 minutes.
- One-Pot Beef Stroganoff - Made with affordable ground beef and using greek yogurt instead of sour cream lightens up the recipe. A healthier, affordable take on a classic dish.
Like this recipe? Sign up for my e-mail list so you get a weekly e-mail with new recipes from the week as well as occasional ‘bonus’ content not found on the blog! AND receive a copy of my FREE MINI EBOOK! E-mail link sign up!
Those ads on the page? A portion of all ad revenue is being donated to Warrior Dog Rescue. A MN-based dog rescue that I foster and volunteer with.
PrintRecipe
One-Pot Spinach Artichoke Pesto Pasta
One Pot Spinach Artichoke Pesto Pasta is comforting, cozy, and perfect for meatless Monday. This vegetarian dish is made in one dutch oven, so clean up is easy. Recipe at KathleensCravings.com
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish, Meatless Monday
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small-medium onion (minced)
- 1 lemon (zested)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (up to 1 teaspoon if you like heat)
- 1 pound farfalle pasta
- 5 cups water
- 1 15oz can artichoke hearts (roughly chopped)
- 1 14oz can white beans (rinsed and drained)
- ¾ cup pesto
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
- 6 ounces baby spinach (chopped)
Instructions
- Cook Onion - In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Cook Aromatics - Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook Pasta - Add the water, pasta, and a hearty pinch of salt. Stir to combine, scraping any bits off the bottom. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes until the pasta is almost al dente. There may be a little liquid left in the pot.
- Add Remaining Ingredients - Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the artichokes, white beans, pesto, parmesan, and spinach. Stir to combine and continue cooking/stirring until the pasta is fully al dente, all the ingredients are warmed and the spinach is wilted. Adjust salt/pepper if needed.
- Serve - Spoon into bowls and top with extra parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ of recipe
- Calories: 645
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 632.1 mg
- Fat: 23.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 84.3 g
- Fiber: 11.3 g
- Protein: 24.8 g
- Cholesterol: 9.6 mg
Kelli says
I’ve been making this for well over a year now. I add lemon juice and sun-dried tomatoes. My 5 yo son absolutely loves it and requests for me too cook it weekly.
Kathleen Hansen says
Kelli, this makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you for sharing and making my day 🙂
Lindsay says
This was amazing! Adding to our regular rotation. My husband said it reminded him of something we would get at a restaurant in Italy. 1/2tsp of red pepper was a perfect amount of heat. Only change I made was I added a can of mushrooms.
Kathleen says
Yay! Glad you all loved it! The mushroom addition sounds amazing.