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You will love this delicious creamy Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake recipe. It’s like having spinach and artichoke dip, but for dinner! Dairy-free, plant-based & so easy to make. Jump to Recipe
side view of a serving of creamy vegan spinach artichoke pasta bake served in a white bowl

Just when I thought pasta could not get more comforting, creamy and delicious, than my Fettucine Alfredo, I used my Spinach Artichoke dip for inspiration for this Creamy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta, topped with breadcrumbs.

Itโ€™s fresh yet oh so creamy, fancy yet very easy to make any day of the week, and as tasty as can be. It’s basically the same concept as a restaurant-style spinach & artichoke dip but served as a pasta bake. I use tofu for the creamy base in this one. To make it without soy, just use my nut based spinach artichoke dip. Thin it a bit with non dairy milk, mix in the pasta and done.

overhead shot of a plate of vegan spinach and artichoke pasta bake with breadcrumb topping

This pasta bake is a great dish for an easy weeknight dinner, but as it is such a crowd-pleaser, it would also be perfect for a big party!

Many creamy vegan pasta dishes rely on soaked blended cashews for that perfect silky texture. Here I wanted to offer you a nut-free version so we use tofu. My tofu-based sauce has the same smooth consistency as cashews with zero prep effort as you don’t have to remember soaking the nuts and the dish only has a fraction of the fat and calories.

The silken tofu and non-dairy milk make the sauce so sinfully creamy, and the nutritional yeast adds such a wonderful cheesy flavor.

To really give the umami notes in this dish a boost, I added a small amount of miso paste and I recommend you do the same. It’s just so good.

On to the obvious main players in this recipe: We pack a good 5 oz of spinach and an entire can of artichokes in there. I don’t have to tell you just how well those two go together. This creamy vegan spinach pasta tastes just like the restaurant dip served up as a filling main. GENIUS!

Ingredients needed for making Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake:

  • Pasta – go with your favorite type and shape and cook according to the instructions on the package. I opted for mediumshells for this recipe, but fusilli or penne would also do.
  • Spinach – I used frozen and thawed spinach but you could also use fresh.
  • Artichokes – the canned variety. I used the ones packed in water as opposed to the oily ones. Make sure to drain them.
  • Nutritional yeast for that signature cheesy taste we love about spinach and artichoke dip.
  • Tofu makes this dairy-free pasta sauce wonderfully creamy. ย I recommend using firm or silken tofu, which easily blends into a smooth and creamy sauce but firm works as well.
  • Miso is a Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans and has a rich, salty flavor.ย In traditional Japanese cuisine, itโ€™s used in sauces, soups, and stocks, but it also works so well as an umami booster for many other dishes like this vegan pasta sauce!ย 
  • Seasonings: onion powder, ground mustard as well as some dried basil or dill
  • A dash of fresh lemon juice cuts through the richness of the sauce.
  • Breadcrumb Topping –ย  a blend of breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, salt and dried Italian herbs such as oregano, thyme, rosemary

overhead shot of ingredients needed for making spinach artichoke pasta bake

Tips and Variations for making this Vegan Pasta Bake:

  • As the pasta will bake in the sauce for an additional 20 minutes, you absolutely get away with undercooking the pasta a bit. At least make sure you don’t overcook them before baking as they might turn too soft.
  • For some added spice, add in some chopped green chiles or jalapeรฑos halfway through sauteeing the onions.
  • If you are using marinated canned artichokes, you might not need to add that many dried herbs.
  • Feel free to add a dash of Cajun seasoning for a Southern twist.
  • You could serve this vegan spinach pasta topped with sliced green onions for fancy date night presentation.
  • Want some crunch? Add some chopped water chestnuts before baking.
  • Soy-free: Use my nut based spinach artichoke dip for thee sauce

How to make Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta recipe – Step by Step

ย 1. Cook the pasta according to instruction and set aside.
2. Heat oil a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and pinch of salt.

chopped red onions being sauteed in a black skillet

3. Sautee the onions until golden.

chopped onions being sauteed in a black skillet

4. Transfer the onions to a blender together with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth

ingredients for creamy vegan spinach and artichoke pasta sauce in a blender

5. Add olive oil to a baking dish.

overhead shot of a casserole dish with cooked shell pasta, spinach, and chopped artichokes

6. Add the cooked pasta, spinach, chopped artichokes, and the blended sauce. Toss to mix well. Rinse out the blender with 2 tbsp water and add.

spinach artichoke pasta bake ready to go in the oven

spinach artichoke pasta bake topped with breadcrumb topping ready to go in the oven

7. Sprinkle the pasta with breadcrumbs, pepper flakes, herbs and some more salt on top. Spray the topping with some oil for that gorgeous golden brown look.

side view close up of a red casserole dish with creamy vegan artichoke spinach pasta bake

8. Bake the pasta at 400 F for 22 mins. Broil for a minute or so to brown the top. Remove from the oven, serve

overhead shot of a vegan spinach and artichoke pasta bake with breadcrumb topping

Can I make this vegan pasta recipe on the stovetop?

Yes, you can! For making spinach artichoke pasta on the stovetop, combine the spinach, chopped artichokes, and sauce and bring to a boil. Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Cover and cook for 2 mins. Sprinkle in some pepper flakes, dried herbs, and vegan parm.

More vegan pasta recipes from the blog:

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake

4.96 from 49 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
You will love this delicious vegan spinach and artichoke pasta bakeย recipe. It's like havingย spinachย andย artichokeย dip, but for dinner! Nutfree.
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Ingredients 
 

  • 7-8 oz pasta, , such as shells, penne or ziti
  • 5 oz spinach, (thawed if frozen, finely chopped if fresh)
  • 14 oz can of artichoke hearts drained and chopped

Sauce

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 7 oz firm tofu or silken tofu, , see notes for Soyfree
  • 1 1/4ย  cup non dairy milk such as almond, oat, or soy
  • 1 tsp flour
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground mustard
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil or dill
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, more if needed
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 -2 tsp miso

Topping

  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp dried italian herbs such as oregano,, thyme, rosemary
  • a good dash of salt

Instructions 

  • Cook the pasta according to instruction and set aside. thaw the spinach if using frozen. Chop the artichoke hearts.
  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced onions, garlic and pinch of salt and cook until golden.
  • Transfer them to a blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend everything until smooth. Taste and adjust flavor(salt, tang, cheesyness). Some tofus can take over the flavor so add more of the herbs and nutritional yeast if needed.
  • Add some olive oil to a baking dish. Add the cooked pasta, spinach, chopped artichokes and the blended sauce. Toss to mix well. Rinse out the blender with 2 tbsp water and add.
  • Sprinkle the pasta with breadcrumbs, pepper flakes, herbs, and a little salt and optional vegan parm. For the perfect brown topping, spray or drizzle with some olive oil.
  • Bake the pasta at 400 F (205 C) for 22 mins. Then broil for a minute or so to brown the topping.
  • Remove the dish from the oven, and serve.
    Store: Cool completely and refrigerate for upto 3 days.

For making this on the stovetop:

  • Combine the spinach, chopped artichokes and sauce and bring to a boil.
  • Add the cooked pasta and mix well to combine. Cover and cook for 2 mins. Sprinkle in some pepper flakes, dried herbs, and vegan parm.

Video

Notes

  • As the pasta will bake in the sauce for an additional 20 minutes, you absolutely get away with undercooking the pasta a bit. At least make sure you don't overcook them before baking as they might turn too soft.
  • For some added spice, add in some chopped green chiles or jalapeรฑos halfway through sauteeing the onions.
  • Feel free to add a dash of Cajun seasoning for a Southern twist.
  • You could serve this vegan spinach pasta topped with sliced green onions for fancy date night presentation.
  • For Soy-free: Use my nut based spinach artichoke dip as the pasta sauce. Add non dairy milk as needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 411.73kcal, Carbohydrates: 60.11g, Protein: 15.56g, Fat: 13.92g, Saturated Fat: 1.54g, Sodium: 484.2mg, Potassium: 530.81mg, Fiber: 6.48g, Sugar: 4.6g, Vitamin A: 4352.22IU, Vitamin C: 33.48mg, Calcium: 199.55mg, Iron: 3.46mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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4.96 from 49 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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132 Comments

  1. Flora says:

    5 stars
    I made this recipe again tonight. Omg it is so good. Made exactly as the recipe says .
    Thanks again for a great recipe.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      So glad you liked it!

  2. Flora says:

    Wow, I made this yesterday and it is amazing. It will definitely go on my regular menu plan.

    Thank you so much for another great recipe.
    Flo

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! So glad you liked it!

  3. Susan says:

    5 stars
    Very good! I would like to use brown rice instead of pasta so that I can freeze it as I am the only one eating it. I know it needs to bake longer and increase the liquid?

    1. Richa says:

      Precook the brown rice until aldentr. Make the sauce with just 1/2 cup non dairy milk. Then combine with brown precooked brown rice. Add the rest, bake for 12-15 mins.

  4. Pamela says:

    5 stars
    I made this for the first time and it tasted wonderful, but I think I should have used a larger casserole dish. I used a 10 inch square casserole dish and the mixture was soupy- the ingredients didnโ€™t absorb a lot of sauce even though the pasta was done. I will do that next time. It certainly didnโ€™t affect the flavor.

    1. Richa says:

      Yes use a larger dish or reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup

  5. Lea says:

    Hi ….I know this recipe is from awhile ago but it showed up in my IG today… I buy my artichokes in a 1L jar….and have no idea how much 14 ozs drained artichokes equals….. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has this problem. Would that be 1 cup of drained canned artichokes??

    1. Richa says:

      1 cup should be good

  6. Stacey says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely wonderful as usual! I used the 2tsp of miso, extra basil, extra nutritional yeast, extra garlic & soy for the milk. I also undercooked the pasta a little as suggested, and it worked out perfectly. It’s comforting without being too dense, savory & creamy. I really enjoyed the crisp from the breadcrumbs under the broiler so I went 2 mins longer for extra crunch. Thank you Richa๐Ÿ’—

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      thank you!

  7. Michelle says:

    5 stars
    This has been added to our rotation of favorites! Since going vegan I’ve been missing creamy pasta dishes, but this totally satisfies the craving. I added a bit of vegan ‘chicken’ broth to the sauce for some extra savoriness, and a lb. of sliced mushrooms to the dish.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      yay! awesome, thank you!

  8. Mike H says:

    5 stars
    Amazing! Perfect. Can you freeze this?

    1. Richa says:

      Yes

  9. Haley says:

    I usually love everything from this site. We make a Richa recipe probably once a week in our house. I’ve never made anything we didn’t like. Until now. This one was a miss. I followed the recipe exactly, doubling it for our family of six. It was nothing like the photos. It was not creamy, but rather curd like, and the flavor was bland. I had to throw half of it away. I love spinach artichoke dip, but this was a pass for me.

    1. Richa says:

      Oh no. I think it might be the tofu brand or type thatโ€™s causing this. If it was curdled, it might have needed more blending. Or if it stayed that way then that would affect flavor as well. There was too much volume for the spices and flavors it seems like. Try my cashew based spinach artichoke dip as sauce here instead