Baked Spanakopita Pasta With Greens and Feta
Updated March 13, 2025
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
Salt and black pepper
4 cups chopped spinach, Swiss chard or other mild greens (tough stems removed)
4 cups chopped arugula, watercress or other peppery greens
1 cup chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves and tender stems, or a combination
6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, whites and dark green parts separated
1 pound tubular or curvy pasta, like rigatoni or fusilli
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
8 ounces cream cheese (1 cup), cut into ½-inch cubes
4 ounces mozzarella, grated (1 cup)
4 ounces crumbled feta (1 cup)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
95 grams carbs; 129 milligrams cholesterol; 883 calories; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 42 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 5 grams fiber; 796 milligrams sodium; 32 grams protein; 6 grams sugar
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!
Add nutmeg, oregano, thyme brings the flavor profile closer to spanakopita. Increase amount of greens, steam briefly and squeeze into a strainer to make sure the final pasta isn’t too watery. Sesame seeds on top!
gooey and delicious. I increase the greens - a mix of spinach and arugula- to 30+ oz total, otherwise this is just too decadent.
Wow so good! And very quick and easy if you just lightly saute the greens and mix it all together rather than massaging etc. I subbed in Greek yogurt for cream cheese since that's what I had, with a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in to try to prevent it splitting when being baked. It kind of worked? Next time I will up the greens a bit and chop em finer to give that real spanakopita vibe. I don't understand all the comments on salt/blandness. Just salt to your taste!
We found the arugula overpowering. Next time , we’ll try only spinach.