Baked Spanakopita Pasta With Greens and Feta
Updated March 14, 2025
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Salt and black pepper
- 4cups chopped spinach, Swiss chard or other mild greens (tough stems removed)
- 4cups chopped arugula, watercress or other peppery greens
- 1cup chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves and tender stems, or a combination
- 6scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, whites and dark green parts separated
- 1pound tubular or curvy pasta, like rigatoni or fusilli
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 8ounces cream cheese (1 cup), cut into ½-inch cubes
- 4ounces mozzarella, grated (1 cup)
- 4ounces crumbled feta (1 cup)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
883 calories; 42 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 95 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 32 grams protein; 796 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Step 2
In a 3-quart/9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the chopped spinach, arugula, herbs and scallion greens with 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Squeeze the mixture with your hands to wilt, then set aside.
- Step 3
Cook the pasta in the boiling water until 2 minutes shy of al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside. Return the pot to the stove.
- Step 4
Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and pasta water and stir until smooth. Stir in the wilted greens, half the mozzarella and half the feta until combined. Stir in the pasta until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Step 5
Transfer the pasta to the baking dish, then top with remaining mozzarella and feta. Bake until the sauce has thickened and turned bubbly, and the top has browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. If you like a crisper top, broil for a few minutes.
Private Notes
Comments
This recipe looks awfully good, but I'd like to cut down on the fat. Might ricotta work in place of cream cheese and, if so, how much?
Made according to directions; measured and weighed: 4 cups chopped baby spinach = 7 oz; 2 cups chopped arugula = 2.5 oz; 2 cups watercress = 3 oz; 1/2 cup chopped parsley + 1/2 cup chopped dill = .8 oz; followed all else exactly and would cut back on salt next time (salted greens + salty cheese + salted pasta water = too much!). Thought "4 servings" was odd b/c 9x13 STUFFED pan, but 3 of us almost ate the whole thing!! Dee-lish! To-tal hit! Mediterranean comfort food! YUM!
Good recipe, but I found the feta to overpower the dish. Consider cutting the feta down to 2/3rds of a cup and bumping the mozz to 1.5 cups.
We used one cup ricotta, and 4 ounces cream cheese and it was delicious. The greens melt down to nothing so we would increase them next time!
I've made this several times--it's very easy and delicious. However, as other have noted, 2 tsp. salt in the greens/herbs results in an excessively salty dish, and I love salty food. I strongly recommend reducing the salt used to wilt the greens to 3/4 tsp. or 1 tsp. max. I hope Ms. Slagel adjusts the amount in the recipe as well, for those who don't read the comments. Enjoy.
It's absolutely delicious - cheesy, greeny, pasta-y - and will definitely be making again. I halved the recipe and easily had enough for 4 people
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