Creamy Spinach Gratin
Creamy Spinach Gratin is made with baby spinach, cheeses, and some cream, and it’s baked for 20 minutes. It’s a flavor-packed and surprisingly delicious side to serve with dinner and for the holidays. Ideally, this creamy spinach gratin will make a nutritious casserole to serve anytime.
Make this spinach gratin special…
A delightful dish, loaded with spinach is perfect to serve guests at special occasions and family gatherings.
Topped with some panko bread crumbs for a nice crunch.
It is divine!
What do you need to make our creamy spinach gratin?
For this recipe, you will need one large heavy bottom skillet to saute the onion and garlic, then the spinach, and add the cream mixture. Plus, one 8 x 8-inch baking pan to bake it in.
Ingredients Needed for our Spinach Gratin…
For our spinach gratin, you will need the following ingredients:
(*Exact measurements for ingredients in recipe card below!)
- OLIVE OIL: choose good quality olive oil, we prefer to use extra virgin olive oil with most of our recipes.
- VEGETABLES: medium-sized onion and a couple of garlic cloves are all you need to flavor the spinach.
- BABY SPINACH: This recipe calls for fresh baby spinach (3 packages of 6 ounces each, about 2 .25 pounds/510 grams).
- FLOUR: you will need a 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to thicken the cream sauce. If needed, use GF flour, with this recipe too!
- CREAM: 1/2 cup of heavy cream is added to make the cream sauce.
- BROTH: some vegetable broth (about 1/2 cup) is needed to flavor the sauce.
- SEASONINGS: 1/8 tsp. of ground nutmeg, 2 dashes of cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp. of salt are all you will need for this recipe.
- CHEESES: I used 3 different kinds of cheeses: (2/3 cup divided of grated Parmesan cheese, 2 Tbsp. of grated pecorino, and 1/2 cup of shredded Gruyere.
- OPTIONAL: make it extra special, and scatter a layer of panko bread crumbs on top. It offers the perfect little crunch on top of the gratin.
How to Make Creamy Spinach Gratin?
(*Full recipe card below!) There are four easy steps to preparing this spinach gratin:
1. FIRST STEP: Cook the vegetables. Saute the onion and garlic, add the fresh spinach in batches, and cook until it wilts. Continue to add the spinach until it’s all cooked down.
*QUICK NOTE: If the spinach is not wet, add a few drops of water into the skillet to help wilt the spinach quickly.
2. SECOND STEP: Mix the cream with seasonings and flour, then pour in the cream mixture, along with the vegetable broth and stir to combine. Next, stir in some grated parmesan cheese and turn off the heat.
3. THREE STEP: Transfer the spinach cream mixture to your 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Scatter a layer of each cheese on top, then with a layer of panko bread crumbs, and into the oven, it goes.
4. FINAL STEP: Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove and serve.
Delicious main dishes to serve this side with…
As a side, this spinach gratin will complement all meats and poultry. Here are some ideas and recipes:
- Crispy Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast
- Grilled Lamb Chops
- Perfect Filet Mignon Roast
- Grilled Flank Steak with Olive Oil & Garlic
- Oven-Baked Brisket (tender & falls apart)
Questions & Answers…
- Is this a Gratin or a Casserole? There is a slight difference between a casserole and a gratin. While both are baked in the oven, a gratin is a special form of a casserole. When cooking it, the ingredients are layered instead of just adding them all together.
2. Can we make it gluten-free? You can substitute flour with gluten-free flour, or cornstarch. Be sure to use equal amounts.
3. Can we make it with frozen spinach? If you prefer to make this gratin with frozen spinach you can. Use 2 packages of (10-ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and drained. Then follow our directions.
4. Are there options to use different cheeses? You can use other grated or shredded cheeses like Mild Cheddar, Swiss, and even Mozzarella cheese. They will all work nicely.
Additional delicious gratin recipes…
- Easy Artichoke Gratin
- Cauliflower Gratin Casserole Recipe
- Creamy Potato and Zucchini Au Gratin
- Asparagus Au Gratin – Lightened!
Creamy Spinach Gratin
Creamy Spinach Gratin is loaded with baby spinach, cheeses, and some cream, and it’s baked for 20 minutes. It’s a flavor-packed, delicious side to serve with dinner and for the holidays. Ideally, this creamy spinach gratin will make a nutritious casserole to serve anytime.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion - diced
- 2 garlic cloves - minced
- 2.25 pounds /510grams ( (6 ounces each) Baby Spinach
- 1/2 cup (120grams) of heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (or GF)
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 dashes of cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup (117grams) vegetable broth
- 2/3 cup (60grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp. grated pecorino cheese
- 1/2 cup (50grams) shredded Gruyere cheese
- Optional: 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204C).
1. In a large, deep skillet, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil, until translucent and softened for 10 minutes.
2. Toss in the spinach and cover, do this in small batches and stir the spinach until it wilts. Continue to add in the spinach until all wilts.
3. In a liquid measuring cup, measure the heavy cream and stir in the flour, along with nutmeg, salt, and cayenne pepper until well incorporated.
4. Pour in the cream mixture into the skillet, along with the vegetable broth. Simmer until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese. Turn off the heat.
5. Then pour the entire mixture into your 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
6. Scatter the remaining 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, pecorino cheese, and top with shredded Gruyere cheese.
7. OPTIONAL: Then scatter with a layer of panko bread crumbs on top.
8. Bake on the center rack, uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and set it aside to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Serve warm.
Yields: 6 servings
Notes
QUICK NOTE: The Nutritional Facts do include the panko bread crumbs.
Also, if you rinse and drain fresh spinach, ADD the wet spinach to the skillet. It needs the moisture to wilt it quickly.
If the spinach is not wet, add a few drops of water to the skillet, cover with a lid, to help the spinach to wilt quickly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6 servingsServing Size:
1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 247Total Fat: 16.3gCarbohydrates: 13.9gFiber: 4.5gSugar: 1.9gProtein: 15.3g
In case you missed it…
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- Fabulously Easy Carrot Cake
- Creamy Broccoli Soup-without the cream!
That’s it, friends! Any questions?…ask away!
If you make our Creamy Spinach Gratin, let us know and leave a comment below!
Stay Healthy … and Happy Cooking!
xo anna and Liz
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