This mushroom spinach pasta recipe is a one-pot pasta dinner that’s loaded with fresh spinach, artichokes, mushrooms then tossed in a creamy sauce, and it all comes together in under 20 minutes! Serve it with your favorite protein on the side or add some chicken into the pasta to make an entire meal all in one bowl.

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Spinach Artichoke Pasta Recipe
There are very few things I enjoy more than a creamy spinach artichoke dip. When does well, the combination of the spinach and artichokes is just perfect.
I took that idea of spinach artichoke dip with the fresh spinach, salty artichokes, and lots of creamy cheese and turned into into this one-pot pasta dish. I used similar ingredients to a classic spinach artichoke dip then upgraded it with the addition of mushrooms (also kind of a creamy texture) and crumbled bacon on top at the very end to give it some crunch!
The result is a simple yet satisfying pasta dish that includes enough veggies that you won’t even have to add some on the side! Plus, it take less than 20 minutes, which makes this the perfect addition to your weekly dinner lineup!
Why People Love This Pasta Recipe
- Quick and easy – this can be on the table in under 20 minutes and there’s nothing difficult about any of it! If you can cook pasta and turn on the stove, you can make this recipe! You can even use shortcuts like buying sliced mushrooms to make it faster!
- Filling without protein – this is a super filling pasta dish without the need to add extra protein like chicken or shrimp. You can if you want, but it’s not necessary because the veggies and mushrooms themselves are filling!
- Very few dishes – you’ll just need two dishes to make this pasta – one to cook the pasta and one to cook the rest of the meal. That’s just two (three if you count a spoon) to wash and if you’re like me, the less dishes the better!
Ingredients in Mushroom Spinach Pasta
Ingredient notes & Substitutions
- Penne pasta – while I like this with penne, you could do any other tube pasta or even something like farfalle. I’d stay away from long pastas like spaghetti or linguini.
- Chicken broth – you can use regular chicken broth or chicken bone broth. If you want to make this a vegetarian or meatless dish, you could also substitute with vegetable broth.
- Minced garlic – you’ll need four medium-sized cloves of garlic, minced. I always recommend mincing your own fresh garlic using a garlic press rather than the jarred stuff – fresh garlic has way more flavor!
- Fresh mushrooms – you can use any kind of mushrooms you want, just make sure they’re sliced. I like baby bella mushrooms, button mushrooms, and even cremini mushrooms. Slice them or buy them pre-sliced.
- Cooking oil – you can use either olive oil or avocado oil for this, either one works great.
- Artichoke hearts – you can use canned, jarred, or or even frozen. Just make sure they are plain and not marinated in anything. If you choose to go with frozen, allow them to thaw first, then drain out any excess liquid. With either frozen or canned, rough chop them and strain them to remove any liquid.
- Spinach – this recipe needs fresh, not frozen spinach. Frozen will carry too much liquid and can potentially dilute the sauce. Plus, it doesn’t wilt and mix into the pasta in quite the same way! Regular spinach or baby spinach works great!
- Bacon – I really like adding cooked and crumbled bacon to the top of this spinach artichoke pasta, but this is optional. Again, if you want to make this a vegetarian dish, skip the bacon.
- Grated parmesan – finely grated parmesan, not shredded. You want it to mix into the sauce and cling to the pasta and shredded just doesn’t do that in the same way.
How to make Spinach Mushroom Pasta
The thing I love most about this recipe is that other than cooking the pasta itself, it’s a one-pot recipe, which means it’s all made in one pot. And it’s pretty simple because you’re only having to pay attention to one thing at a time.
1 – Cook your pasta
First things first, cook your pasta according to package directions in a large pot. You can do this in the same pan you’ll cook the food in or you can do it in another pot while you’re working on the veggies and sauce to make things faster.
The pasta won’t really cook again (you’re just adding it to the sauce later), so you want to cook it as much as you would if you were just eating it on its own. When the water starts to boil, I recommend starting your sauce (after you drop the pasta).
2 – Cook the Veggies
Heat a large skillet or saute pan (large enough to hold a pound of pasta) on medium-high heat and once heated, add the olive oil and garlic. Stir that around for thirty seconds then add the mushrooms.
Cook the mushrooms until softened, typically 3-5 minutes depending on the type of mushrooms. The cook time will depend on the type of mushrooms you are using, the type of pan you’re using, and how how your stove gets. Watch them and check after three minutes to see if they are soft.
Once mushrooms are soft, add the chopped artichokes and cook for another two minutes.
Then add the fresh spinach and cook until wilted, typically about one minute.
Remove the mushroom spinach mixture and place in a heat safe container and set aside for now.
3 – Make the spinach mushroom pasta sauce
Once the veggies are all out, add the butter to the same pan, still on medium heat, and allow it to completely melt.
Once melted, sprinkle the flour (to thicken the sauce), thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper over the butter and cook for one minute or until bubbly. Don’t let it cook too long or it’ll brown, which will change the taste for the dish completely.
Then add the two cups of chicken broth and the cup of cream to the mixture, simmer until thickened, typically three to five minutes.
Once the sauce has thickened, turn the heat to low (so the sauce doesn’t burn) and add the grated parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated into the sauce.
Taste the sauce then add any additional salt and pepper you prefer.
4 – Finish the Mushroom Spinach Pasta
Add the strained pasta and veggie mix directly to the sauce and stir to combine everything together.
Remove from heat and serve the creamy mushroom pasta hot topped with crumbled bacon and more fresh parmesan cheese.
What to serve with spinach artichoke pasta
- Garlic breadsticks – these complement the flavor perfectly, making it a full Italian meal! You could also do traditional garlic bread, I just love these breadsticks!
- Strawberry spinach salad – if you want a salad, this one is a great way to use up any extra spinach you have leftover!
- Cannoli dip – this would be a perfect dessert to finish off your Italian night!
How to Store Leftover Pasta
This spinach mushroom pasta is best enjoyed the day of but if you’d like to store it and enjoy leftovers, put everything in an airtight container and refrigerate. Reheat either in the oven or on the stove, just know that the cream sauce may not hold together as well as on day one.
Recipe FAQs
What is a good side dish with pasta?
Pasta is always great served with a salad or bread of some sort. These crescent rolls with a little garlic butter rubbed on top would be perfect!
Which type of mushroom is best in this pasta?
Honestly, I’d just use whichever kind of mushrooms you like best and that fit best into your budget. My favorites to add to pasta are portobello mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and white (or button) mushrooms because they’re readily available at the grocery store, often in pre-sliced packages.
Is this pasta vegetarian?
As written, this spinach mushroom pasta is not a vegetarian pasta dish. However, you can simply replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit the bacon on top to make it work for a vegetarian diet.
More Easy Pasta Dishes
If you like adding pasta recipes to your weekly menu, try these new recipes next!
- Instant Pot fettuccini Alfredo – this is truly a one-pot meal where that pot is an Instant Pot. Super easy and delicious!
- Creamy pesto pasta – a simple no-cook pesto recipe gets mixed with pasta for the fastest ever pasta dish!
- Sweet spaghetti sauce – if you like things sweet, this meat sauce uses honey for a sweeter pasta experience!
- Baked ziti with ricotta – this one-pan ziti is all cooked in literally one pan, then baked to perfection!
- Ground turkey and pasta – when you combine ground turkey, kale, and veggies – you get this tasty pasta dish!
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Mushroom Spinach Pasta with Artichokes
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 4 TBSP olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ pounds mushrooms sliced
- 14 oz artichoke hearts chopped
- 4 oz fresh spinach
- 4 TBSP salted butter
- 4 TBSP flour
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- 8 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.1 pound penne pasta
- Heat the pan on medium-high heat and once heated, add the olive oil and garlic. Stir that around for thirty seconds then add the mushrooms.4 TBSP olive oil, 4 garlic cloves, 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms
- Cook the mushrooms until softened, typically 3-5 minutes depending on the type of mushrooms.
- Once mushrooms are soft, add the chopped artichokes and cook for another two minutes.14 oz artichoke hearts
- Add the fresh spinach and cook until wilted, typically about one minute. Remove the mushroom spinach mixture and place in a heat safe container and set aside for now.4 oz fresh spinach
- Add the butter to the hot pan and let it completely melt.4 TBSP salted butter
- Once melted, sprinkle the flour (to thicken the sauce), thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper over the butter and cook for one minute or until bubbly.4 TBSP flour, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Add the two cups of chicken broth and the cup of cream to the mixture, simmer until thickened, typically three to five minutes.2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup cream
- Once the sauce has thickened, turn the heat to low (so the sauce doesn’t burn) and add 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated into the sauce.1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- Taste the sauce then add any additional salt and pepper you prefer.
- Add the strained pasta and veggie mix directly to the sauce and stir to combine everything together.
- Remove from heat and serve hot topped with crumbled bacon and more fresh parmesan cheese.8 pieces bacon
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info
This recipe was originally published in 2016. The recipe was overhauled in 2022 and updated again in 2025 with better photos and instructions.
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