Ingredients

Ingredients

• Cooking spray or olive oil
• 8 ounces dry spinach pasta, such as rotini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large shallots, peeled and diced
• 5 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped (about 5 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 ounces Asiago cheese, grated (about a heaping 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup whole or 2% plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup cooked, shredded chicken (optional)

Instructions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil or baking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the spinach pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than suggested on package instructions for al dente, as it will keep cooking when baked. Drain well and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic and cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta.
3. Place the cheese, yogurt, cream, and pesto in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and season with salt as needed, depending on the saltiness of the pesto. Stir in a generous quantity of black pepper. Add the eggs and whisk to combine.
4. Add the pasta mixture and chicken if using and toss to coat well. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
5. Bake until golden-brown on top and lightly bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with a salad, a colorful cabbage slaw, or roasted vegetables.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: This dish can be assembled and refrigerated, covered in aluminum foil, up to 2 days in advance. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes more.

Freezing: The baked casserole can be frozen right in the baking dish for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely and wrap it tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. To bake from frozen, heat the oven to 400°F. Remove plastic wrap but cover again with foil. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until hot through, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes or until the top browns slightly. Or to bake from the refrigerator, thaw the pasta bake in the refrigerator overnight. Heat the oven to 400°F. Remove plastic wrap but cover again with foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot through, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes or until the top browns slightly.

Doubling the recipe: The casserole can be doubled to serve 8. Spread the doubled pasta mixture into a prepared 9x13-inch baking dish and proceed with the recipe.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.