Spinach Artichoke Pasta – Slender Kitchen

Spinach Artichoke Pasta that’s actually good for you and tastes like you covered pasta with your favorite spinach artichoke dip. So so good and actually pretty good for you. Plus with under 350 calories (8 Weight Watchers Freestyle SmartPoints), it’s a meal you can eat as often as you like.

This is a dreamy dish that is basically a marriage of pasta and spinach and artichoke dip. I imagine I can’t be the only one who looks at that amazingly delicious dip and thinks about how good it would be smothered on pasta. Usually there isn’t enough left to ever actually try it out, so this time I set out to make a lightened up version just for pasta using all the classic ingredients, except the mayonnaise. There isn’t really a need for it. And it all comes together in under thirty minutes.

In order to make the sauce thick and creamy, the recipe starts out with a roux made with olive oil and flour. Non fat milk is added to this and cooked until it begins to thicken. Then comes the cheese! A combination of mozzarella and cream cheese ensure plenty of cheese flavor and creaminess. Then it’s just the spinach, artichokes, and some Parmesan for good measure. Usually I reach for defrosted frozen spinach and artichokes since I always have them on hand. You could use fresh too, just saute it first and squeeze out any extra moisture. Same goes for canned artichoke hearts.

Tips for Making this Healthy Spinach and Artichoke Pasta

• To make sure you get a creamy and rich sauce, it is extremely important to drain any excess moisture from the spinach and artichokes. You can use a cheesecloth or paper towels and just squeeze and squeeze until no more liquid drips out. If the veggies still contain a lot of moisture, the sauce will be less creamy.
• Depending on how much time I have and what I am in the mood for, sometimes I turn this into a baked pasta dish like in the photo by baking it for a few minutes so the top gets browned. One important note, this isn’t a true baked pasta dish and will dry out if you bake it for too long. You are just baking it enough to get a lightly browned top.
• To get a richer flavor, you can substitute in another cheese for the mozzarella. A strong cheddar, smoked mozzarella, creamy goat cheese, or even feta would all be delicious.

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