A creamy, rich, and cheesy vegetarian white baked pasta with loads of flavor-rich artichoke hearts tossed in. Just add leftover turkey or cooked chicken for the carnivores!
Ingredients
8ouncestube shaped pastaI used cavatappi, cooked
2teaspoonsolive oil
1small oniondiced
2clovesgarlicminced
1cup2% milk
1cuphalf and half
1 1/2teaspoonItalian seasoning
1/2teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes
2 1/2cups+ 1/2 cup Italian blend shredded cheesedivided (10 ounces total)*
114-ounce can marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
Kosher salt and pepperto taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once the oil, is hot, add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add in the milk, half and half, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.
Simmer over medium heat until warmed through, but don't let the mixture boil as you don't want to scorch the milk.
Once the milk is hot, add in 2-1/2 cups shredded cheese and stir to combine. You want the cheese to fully melt in a creamy sauce.
Add in the cooked pasta and chopped artichokes and stir to fully combine. Taste the mixture and season with a desired amount of kosher salt and pepper.
If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pasta mixture to an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Otherwise, you can bake the pasta right in the skillet.
Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and add to the oven. Bake until the top of the pasta is browned and bubbly, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
Note: You can also opt to first cook the pasta in the pan with water, drain and set aside. Then make the recipe as written. This helps cut down on dishes.
Notes
Meat option:
Add cooked, cubed turkey or chicken to the carnivores' portion before baking. Some smaller casserole dishes or ramekins would work well to keep them separated.