Three Cheese Veggie Pasta
If there is one guaranteed crowd pleaser in our house it’s pasta. When the question “What’s for dinner tonight?” is inevitably asked and I answer, “pasta.” It is always a positive response, even if we’ve had pasta that week. Gabi, the oldest, is for sure the biggest pasta fan. I think she could eat it for every meal. It has always been this way. She is currently studying Italian in her free time to prepare for the trip she will one day take to Italy to eat her way through the country. I’m not even joking about this. She really is!
One thing I have learned is that Italians don’t really measure all their ingredients. I get this. I really have to try hard to measure stuff when I put recipes together because I am compelled to just throw this and that in a pan and stir it up. I have to have a piece of paper and a pencil on the counter to remind me – write it down! That being said, these measurements can be changed. If you want more of something – add more, less of something else – do it! Don’t feel constrained by the recipe. They are really more like guide lines in this case (Disney fans, did you get my pirate reference there?).
This recipe starts with sauted onions and garlic. Then you add the artichokes. I use canned artichokes – I have no time or patience to deal with fresh artichokes (give me a break, that is a difficult vegetable!) I buy quartered artichokes and cut off the tough tips and the mushy tops so you just get the good stuff. I usually end up with about 3/4 of a cup. Then add chopped sun dried tomatoes and two large handfuls of spinach. (This is an ingredient you may want more of – it’s a great way to get your kids to eat spinach because you really can’t taste it when it is all together in the sauce.)
Once the spinach is wilted, add the cream – 4 cups! Yes, I know – this is going to be SO good. When this comes to a simmer you’ll add 2/3 cup of each cheese – Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, and Asiago. Oh man – SO good!
You can pour this over 1 lb of whatever pasta you want. I used spaghetti but again, whatever you have in your pantry or your favorite. I think this is going to be a big hit at your dinner table. Enjoy!
Three Cheese Veggie Pasta
Pasta with artichokes, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, in a creamy three cheese sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup onions finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 8 oz jar sun dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 13.75 oz can quartered artichoke hearts
- 2 large handfulls spinach (or more based on your likes)
- 4 cups cream
- 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated
- 2/3 cup Asiago cheese grated
Instructions
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Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. While pasta is cooking, dice onions. Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet on medium heat. Saute onions and garlic in the oil until tender.
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Drain the artichokes and cut the mushy tops and tough bottoms off. Place in the pan and saute until heated through. Add the chopped sun dried tomatoes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. You can add more spinach is you think you would like more.
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Pour in the cream. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Pour over the pasta and serve immediately.
