Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake

This pasta bake recipe features the classic flavors of Spinach Artichoke Dip

Do you love Spinach and Artichoke Dip? I totally do! So I figured why not turn it into an easy pasta dish! It’s simple to make and delicious – just toss the pasta with the thick, creamy spinach & artichoke sauce and top with panko and Parmesan mixture. After 25 minutes of bake time, you’ll have a flavorful yummy dish that is sure to please your entire family!

Pasta bake recipes are perfect to make ahead! You can totally add some chicken to this bake to make this into a more filling meal, or leave it out. Completely your choice.

Looking to make this even easier? Just buy a container of Spinach Artichoke dip, stir in with the cooked pasta and bake.

INGREDIENTS 

• 8  ounces medium pasta shells

• 2  tablespoons olive oil

• 2  garlic cloves, minced 

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• ¼  teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• 10  ounces fresh baby spinach, or frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained

• 1  (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped

• 2  cups heavy cream (1 pint)

• 4  ounces grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)

•  Black pepper

• 4  ounces grated mozzarella (about 1 cup)

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup Panko

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese , grated

• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Turn down to medium-high, and cook the pasta according to package instructions until 2 minutes short of al dente (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach little by little until wilted, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped artichokes.

Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 

Stir in the Parmesan until melted. 

Remove from the heat then carefully stir in the cooked pasta, or transfer to a large bowl to mix together, if necessary. The liquid might appear wet and loose, but it will thicken up as it bakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a 2-quart casserole dish. 

In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the pasta dish.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling around the edges and topping is lightly browned. 

Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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Keto Meatball Casserole

Juicy, flavorful meatballs cooked until golden and then covered with tomato sauce and cheese.

If you are looking for a new dinner this Keto Meatball Casserole should be it. 

I love this keto friendly meatball casserole because it’s really simple to make and delicious.  It’s also great for meal prep!

I took my grandparent’s meatball recipe, made a couple of changes to make these keto/low carb meatballs. They make epic leftovers… so great for meal prepping! 

The Meat

My personal favorite meat combo when it comes to meatballs is a fifty-fifty of ground beef and Italian sausage. 

The Breadcrumbs

As you know, meatballs traditionally call for breadcrumbs for the binder. It’s purpose is to add moisture and keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking and becoming tough. I used crushed pork rinds! They work surprisingly well in lieu of breadcrumbs and they really play up the flavors.

To Pan-fry or to bake?

This is a great debate between Italian cooks – whether meatballs should be baked or pan fried. 

I grew up watching my grandmother, Meme pan-fry her meatballs. So in this house, we pan fry! Pan frying meatballs produces superior caramelization and a flavorful outer crust. You really do get the best flavor. 

Having said that, you can definitely bake up these too. 

The Sauce

Nothing fancy here, just simple and delicious! One can of crushed tomatoes and ¼ cup of red wine, I recommend Scout & Cellar Gallivant Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The Cheese

You choose the shredded cheese… Mozzarella, Provolone, Monterrey Jack, Cheddar… I personally like a combination of Mozzarella and Provolone. 

Serve warm on top of zucchini noodles or your with a side of your favorite vegetable. 

Ingredients

Meatball Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. Italian sausage
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• ⅓ cup grated or shredded parmesan
• 2/3 cup crushed pork rinds
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried minced onion
• 2 tsp dried minced garlic
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp Salt and Pepper

Casserole Ingredients:

• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup Scout & Cellar Gallivant Cabernet Sauvignon 
• 1 ½ cup mozzarella and provolone shredded cheese

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs and mix thoroughly. 

Make about 24 meatballs

Heat an oven safe skillet over medium heat. (I used my cast iron skillet)

Drizzle one tablespoon in the skillet. 

Place meatballs into the skillet and cook for two-three minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Place the skillet into the preheated oven and bake for ten minutes. 

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven, pour the crushed tomatoes and wine over the meatballs. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for another ten minutes. 

Once the sauce is bubbling, sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake for an additional 8 minutes until the cheese is melted. 

Optional: I broiled for 3-4 minutes at the end to toast the cheese. Watch it carefully if you put it under the broiler. The cheese can burn easily.

Lemon Parmesan Chicken

This is definitely one of my favorite dishes! It’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a date night!

With this recipe you get perfectly tender, golden brown pan seared chicken coated in a quick lemon garlic butter pan sauce. It will have you wanting seconds and maybe even thirds! 

I like to serve this over a bed of spinach or with my Garlic & Spinach Orzo- recipe coming soon! 

As for my wine, this dish pairs perfectly with Scout & Cellar Clean-Crafted™Che Fico Pinot Grigio. It’s tart and fresh with lemon, underripe peach and a subtle minerality and a refreshing finish. Perfect on a hot summer night! 

Click the link to order the wine pairing- Scout & Cellar Clean-Crafted™ Che Fico Pinot Grigio.
http://www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

Ingredients for Parmesan Crusted Chicken:

• 1 1/2 lb chicken breast or 1 lb boneless chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp parsley to garnish
• 1/2 lemon sliced for garnish

Ingredients for the Egg Mixture:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• For the Parmesan Breading Mixture:
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Ingredients for Lemon Butter Sauce:

• 8 Tbsp butter
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. 

Lightly beat with a meat mallet until even in thickness.

In a bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the egg mixture. 

In another bowl, combine the ingredients for the parmesan mixture. 

Dip chicken into the egg mixture, then dredge chicken in the parmesan mixture. 

Allow any excess ingredients to fall off from each bowl.

In a large skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a skillet. 

Once hot, add the chicken and cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until crispy, golden and cooked through to 165˚F. 

Transfer to  a plate. 

In the same saucepan, melt butter and garlic, cook until fragrant. 

Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and pepper. 

Allow the sauce to cook for about 2 minutes. 

Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken, turning to coat. 

Garnish with lemon slices and finely chopped parsley if desired.