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One Pot Baked Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese.
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Ingredients
- Salted butter
- Short-cut pasta
- Whole milk
- Package of cream cheese
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- Ground cayenne pepper
- Fresh baby spinach
- Marinated artichokes
- Ritz crackers
- Garlic powder
Kitchen Supplies
- 9×13 inch baking dish
- Large saucepan
- Medium mixing bowl
You know those fallback recipes? The ones you make over and over again? Well, this One Pot Baked Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese is mine. It’s the easiest and best mac-and-cheese recipe. It uses just one pot, and the ingredients and methods are simple. My trick is to first boil the pasta in just enough water to start the cooking process, then add milk and cream cheese. That means there’s no boiling and draining the pasta, and no fussing around with making a roux either. Plus the cream cheese creates a light and creamy sauce without having to add any additional flour-like in a béchamel.
What’s really great about this recipe is just how adaptable it is. When my brothers are around, I omit the veggies, but I include a few chipotle peppers in adobo, and I use half pepper jack and half cheddar cheese. It’s one of their favorites!
Looking for other easy one pot pastas? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Creamy French Onion Pasta Bake
Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese Pasta
One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Baked Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
- 1 (1-pound) box short-cut pasta, such as macaroni
- 2 cups whole milk , (see Note)
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Ground cayenne pepper
- 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) jar marinated artichokes, drained and roughly chopped
- 1½ cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve), (about 1 sleeve)
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.2. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Stir in the milk and cream cheese and cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes more. 3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the cheddar and 3 tablespoons of the butter. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir in the spinach and artichokes. If the sauce feels too thick, add ¼ cup of milk or water to thin it.4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar.5. In a medium bowl, stir together the crackers, the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, and the garlic powder. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the mac and cheese.6. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the crumbs are golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve. Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Any tips on how to keep the cheddar cheese from clumping? And not incorporating in the sauce?
Hey Barbara,
I would highly recommend grating your own cheese off the block. I know it is more work, but it melts differently and much better than the pre-shredded bags. I hope this helps! xTieghan
The flavor was so good! I underestimated how much this would make, but that’s probably a good problem to have. I’ll be making this for potlucks when things are “normal” again!
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
I made this once before and loved it but it’s been a few months since the last time I made it. I have a question about the baking time. At the top of the recipe it says 45 minutes but in the instructions it says 25. I’m going to just bake it for 25 and see if it looks golden and bubbly but I was just wondering which is correct for the next time I make it. Thanks! ☺️
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a try, I am delighted that the recipe was enjoyed! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Fantastic!!! Was super easy, incredibly tasty and a potluck hit!!!!!
Hey Anjie,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thank you for making it! xTieghan
Hi! I’m a very literal reader and want to confirm— do I ever drain the pasta?? Or does the water evaporate?? Thanks!! Cannot wait to make it for Meat-free nights!!
Hey Maggie,
You do not drain the pasta. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Awesome recipe! I found this in the Super Simple Book and made it last night for dinner. It was a big hit. I only had Philadelphia Jalapeno Cream Cheese which gave it a nice kick. Thank you – So Delicious!
Hey Tricia,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have a great week! xTieghan
This looks delicious, making it tomorrow! How much cayenne do you recommend using? Thanks!
Hey Ann,
I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Hello! A couple of questions. Do you need to saute the spinach before adding it into the pan/does it need to be chopped? Did you use white or yellow sharp cheddar cheese? And then how big of a pan on the stove do you need for this all to fit? THANK YOU, so excited to try with my family tonight.
Hey Riley,
You are going to use chopped baby spinach and you do not need to sauté it. I used yellow sharp cheddar cheese, and you are going to need to use a pretty large pot for this recipe. I hope you love it! Let me know how it turns out. xTieghan
Hi there!
I previously made your baked mac & cheese ahead of time and took it to the cabin where we stayed and baked it there. It came out great!
We are heading to Steamboat next week – do you think this would work for that as well?
Hey there,
Yes, that would be an awesome idea! Let me know if you have any other questions:) xTieghan
If I want to freeze this and make later, how long would you recommend baking for? Should I thaw first? Thanks!
Hey Lindsay,
You could freeze and bake from frozen for about 1 hour. I hope you love the dish. Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Could I make this without the spinach and artichokes and not bake it?
Hey Maria,
I would try one of my other Mac and cheese recipes:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/baked-brie-mac-and-cheese/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/boil-mac-cheese/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/cheese-makers-mac-cheese/
I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
This was DELICIOUS and so easy! Will definitely make again. Only adjustments I made were some extra spinach and artichoke hearts. I also made with chickpea pasta. I can’t wait to try more of your one pot recipes!
Hey Meghan,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
One of our favorites!! It’s so good and easy.
Thanks so much Amanda! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I have made this recipe 3x now and it is a huge hit. It is so easy and doesn’t require a ton of different cheeses like so many Mac recipes do. I made two batches on Christmas Eve this year for my family (made for great leftovers as well)!
Hey Katelyn,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This was SO good, and deceptively simple!!
Cannot wait to make again 🙂
Hey Samantha,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan