Creamy Spinach Cheese Pasta Bake (Printable)

Comforting baked pasta with tender spinach and rich melted cheese sauce for a cozy dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Cheese & Dairy

05 - 1 cup whole milk
06 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 3.5 oz ricotta cheese
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - Pinch of ground nutmeg

→ Topping

14 - 1/2 cup additional mozzarella cheese
15 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3–4 minutes.
05 - Add the mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth.
06 - Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, 1–2 minutes.
07 - Combine the drained pasta with the sauce. Mix well and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
08 - Sprinkle with the extra mozzarella and Parmesan for topping.
09 - Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like the kind of meal you'd order at an Italian restaurant, except you made it in your own kitchen and saved a small fortune.
  • There's no standing over a stove stirring sauce for hours—just good timing and letting the oven do the heavy lifting.
  • It's genuinely one of those dishes where everyone at the table goes quiet because they're too busy eating.
02 -
  • Don't cook your pasta all the way through—it's the biggest mistake, and it turns the whole dish mushy instead of tender and structured.
  • When you're making the sauce, keep the heat at medium; if it gets too hot, the cream can separate and look broken, though it still tastes fine.
  • Let it rest for those 5 minutes after baking—it sounds silly, but the pasta keeps absorbing sauce and everything binds together much better.
03 -
  • Keep your milk and cream near room temperature before adding them to the roux—cold liquid can make the mixture seize up and turn lumpy.
  • Taste your sauce before it goes into the oven; season generously now because pasta will mute flavors slightly during baking.

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