This pasta with artichoke sauce is the easiest dinner you’ll make all week.
Light, bright and fast—this dish is perfect for spring evenings, busy weeknights, or any time you want a quick, satisfying meal. It works as a main or a side, and it’s especially handy when cooking for one. The appeal is obvious: simple ingredients, straightforward technique, and plenty of room to personalize the flavors.
At its core the recipe needs just four ingredients: artichokes, parmesan, garlic and pasta. A squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and a few herbs lift the sauce and make it feel a little more special, but nothing complicated is required.
This artichoke sauce is essentially an artichoke pesto: canned or jarred artichoke hearts are drained and blended with parmesan, garlic and olive oil until creamy and saucy. It won’t be perfectly smooth—think pesto texture rather than a silky cream—but it clings to pasta beautifully. Use marinated artichokes for extra flavor, or plain-packed ones if you prefer a cleaner taste; either way, be sure to drain them well.
So embarrassingly easy.
Prepare the pasta as you normally would. Drain it, return it to the hot pot, then add the artichoke sauce and toss until the noodles are evenly coated. The residual heat warms the sauce and brings everything together. Stir in a few tablespoons of reserved starchy pasta water if you want a looser texture. Top with extra parmesan and fresh herbs for brightness.
Flavor here is highly adjustable: add more garlic for punch, use a high-quality parmesan for nutty umami, and taste as you go so you can adjust salt and pepper to preference. Salting the pasta water also helps build deeper flavor in the finished dish.
The artichoke sauce stores well in the fridge for a few days, which makes weeknight dinners even easier—just blend ahead and toss with freshly cooked pasta when you’re ready. Like pesto, the sauce has texture and a rustic quality that coats the noodles instead of forming a thick cream.
Finish with chopped fresh parsley or another herb of your choice to add a pop of color and a fresh lift. The result is a springlike, comforting pasta that’s quick to make and easy to customize—add vegetables, bacon, or a protein if you like.
Pasta with Artichoke Sauce
Pasta with Artichoke Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1 lemon, zest freshly grated and juiced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces spaghetti or bucatini, cooked
- ¼ cup reserved starchy pasta water
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for topping
Instructions
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Note: You can use artichokes marinated in oil or packed in water—just drain them completely. Marinated artichokes add more flavor, so taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly. If using oil-packed artichokes, you can include some of the drained oil in the sauce.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
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In a food processor, combine the drained artichokes, parmesan, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until the mixture is combined and creamy but still has some texture. Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
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Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving about ¼ cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the hot pot. Immediately add the artichoke sauce and toss until the noodles are evenly coated, adding a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. The final texture should resemble a pesto that coats the pasta rather than a heavy cream sauce.
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Serve topped with extra parmesan and chopped parsley. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
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Spring is coming!