Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese
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What is the one appetizer that you alway want whenever you go to a restaurant? Whenever we’re out and about the one standard, Must Have appetizer always comes down to Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Always. That and a big heaping bowl of whatever your chosen restaurant’s mac and cheese is for an entree. Something ultra creamy and dripping with goo. And combining those two magical worlds was something of divine intervention – it was destiny.
And cheese.
The Wisconsin Cheese Board is celebrating 30 days of Mac and Cheese and wanting you to experience all the greatness that is THE Wisconsin Cheese. Havarit, Parmesan and Cheddar are all included here for a creamy, tangy and savory mac and cheese that reminds you just how great childhood was with endless bowls of mac and cheese – but so much better than the stuff that came from the blue box as a kid.
We’re adults – we are officially sophisticated now. And we deserve a sophisticated, nee extrodinary. This is totes both. Jump on over to the Wisconsin Cheese Board’s where I’m kicking off the first day of their 30 Days, 30 Ways with Mac and Cheese and see what else is being cooked up in kitchens all over the country!
Click below to see the rest of this recipe! And don’t forget to save it to your Ziplist Recipe Box, by clicking the “save” button in the recipe section!
And yes, three weeks ago when I said that I would have this for you “soon” – I strung you along with pictures of this on Facebook, like a one of the hot popular cheerleaders in high school promising a date to the nerdy kid so you follow me (the hypothetical cheerleader) around like a little puppy. This is the recipe equivalent of me stringing you along. I didn’t mean to, I swear! But I promise, unlike the cheerleader (or I suppose since mostly women read this blog – we should reference the hot high school quarterback) who said “no” to taking you me to prom, I’m giving you this recipe and I won’t string you along anymore. I promise.
On the plus side – at least this recipe was worth the wait - unlike that hot cheerleader or high school quarterback… he’s not hot anymore and she got got a super classy tattoo of barbed wire on her arm that has stretched out and now looks like a picket fence. Bullet dodged.
But this is a cheese, carby bullet that you just have to take.
Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese
Yield: 6
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 6-ounce bag fresh spinach*
1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, roughly chopped, and divided
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Parmesan Cheese, shredded and divided
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced and divided
1 12-ounce box whole wheat penne pasta
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) medium Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Havarti Cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon sriacha sauceDirections:
Preheat oven to 400°F. If using fresh spinach, heat olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat, add spinach and wilt. Remove to plate to cool. Squeeze excess water from spinach. Set aside.
In small bowl, combine half of drained spinach and half of chopped artichoke hearts. Stir in softened cream cheese and ½ cup Parmesan Cheese. Stir in shallots and 1 tablespoon garlic. Pour mixture into oven- safe baking dish and bake for 15 minutes or until the mixture is toasted on top and heated through. Remove from oven; cover to keep warm and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside. In medium pot, melt butter and whisk in flour. Continue whisking vigorously over medium high heat until roux becomes golden brown. Add milk slowly, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking during each addition. Bring mixture to boil. Add mustard, pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic, remaining cheeses and sriacha sauce. Stir in reserved spinach and artichokes, mixing until evenly incorporated.
Pour pasta into cheese mixture; mix to ensure all pasta is coated evenly. Plate and top with a generous spoonful of warm spinach and artichoke mixture. Serve and devour.
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meghan — January 20, 2013 @ 3:28 pm
This sounds delish!
Kari@Loaves n Dishes — January 20, 2013 @ 3:58 pm
Two of my favorite things in life; spinach dip & pasta. Yummmm!
Heather @ Heather's Dish — January 20, 2013 @ 5:52 pm
WOMAN. WHERE HAS THIS BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE?!?!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious — January 20, 2013 @ 8:47 pm
Ooof, give me a baguette and I’ll go to town on this!!
Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen — January 20, 2013 @ 9:42 pm
Oh. Em. Gee. This needs to happen in my kitchen ASAP. This looks insanely delicious!
Carrie @ Bakeaholic Mama — January 21, 2013 @ 4:42 am
OH my goodness everyone is throwing down some ridiculous mac and cheese these days! This looks pretty epic.
Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats — January 21, 2013 @ 5:59 am
Its totally my go-to app! I love it..I really miss the one from TGI Fridays. That was always my favorite & they closed around here!
This is pure genius though!
Jessica — January 21, 2013 @ 10:27 am
I am SO in love with this!
Shut Up & Cook | The Attainable Gourmet — January 21, 2013 @ 11:29 am
Oh No You Didn’t!
This looks seriously freaking amazing.
Artichoke dip is one of my total secret weaknesses…not to mention Mac & Cheese. The combo?
BRILLIANT!
Mads — January 21, 2013 @ 12:06 pm
Just stop it with this! I was getting prepared to exit winter hibernation feast mode and start eating light veggies again. Now I have to make this and feast off of carbs and cheese!
Julia {The Roasted Root} — January 21, 2013 @ 12:20 pm
My god, it’s melting in my mouth already and I haven’t even tasted it! It looks sooooooo good! Comfort in my tummy, mmm mmm good!
Cassie | Bake Your Day — January 21, 2013 @ 2:57 pm
Yes! This is totally standard appetizer. Now in main dish form. I love you for this.
Allie {Urban Feast} — January 21, 2013 @ 2:58 pm
This looks amazing! I rarely see spinach artichoke dip here in Australia but this is definitely the way to introduce it to my friends here.
Julie @ Table for Two — January 21, 2013 @ 3:32 pm
holy sh!t girl. this is like the most amazing pasta ever. you made a dip into a pasta. and spinach artichoke dip is like the ultimate dip…god, i’m so hungry right now!!
Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain — January 21, 2013 @ 3:59 pm
You.are.EPIC.
Linda | The Urban Mrs — January 21, 2013 @ 6:18 pm
I want to stuff my face with this. Looks soooo amazingly good! Yummy yummy in my tummy!
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. — January 21, 2013 @ 10:40 pm
Seriously? I die.
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel — January 22, 2013 @ 9:39 am
OMG MEGAN, I DIE. Spinach and artichoke dip is my faaave in all the land of dips, plus thrown in with mac and cheese? Hello, overload of amazingness.
Noble Pig - Cathy — January 22, 2013 @ 2:19 pm
Omg…this is like super heaven…gping to check out that recipe.
Suzanne | kokocooks — January 22, 2013 @ 2:55 pm
Um…Yes, Please! I like how there’s not too much cream cheese in the recipe too.
claire @ the realistic nutritionist — January 25, 2013 @ 1:20 pm
How the heck did I miss this??
Lauren — January 28, 2013 @ 6:52 pm
Wow! It’s almost bedtime but I’m tempted to make this now!! Yummy, can’t wait to try this.
val — February 7, 2013 @ 1:00 pm
Well, hello deliciousness!!
Cathy — February 24, 2013 @ 9:10 am
Can this be made ahead of time? Say a couple of hours earlier and then served?
Megan replied: — February 25th, 2013 @ 7:37 am
Hi Cathy – Yes, you can make it ahead of time and bake it to reheat it before serving. Just cover and bake at 350 until heated through.
Cathy — February 25, 2013 @ 1:23 pm
Thank you Megan for the response. I have a dinner coming up and that will be a time saver.
Spinach Artichoke Pasta | twotastic — March 10, 2013 @ 2:27 pm
[...] artichoke dip! So I have to say that I was pretty excited when I came across this recipe from Country Cleaver. Unfortunately, I did not have all of the ingredients on hand but I did a few substitutions and [...]