Creamed spinach gratin is a classic steakhouse favorite of spinach coated in a rich cheesy cream sauce, topped with more cheese, and baked until golden and bubbling. Perfect for holidays or special gatherings.
Have you ever gone to a steakhouse and ordered creamed spinach? I have and I have to say, I was never impressed.
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Yes, it was creamy, but it wasn’t flavorful. It just was. Yes, you read that correctly. Also, they charged a fortune for it.
Well my friends, here’s a simple recipe for creamed spinach gratin that will knock your socks off. What makes it so special?
Ingredients that take my creamed spinach gratin over the top
First we start with fresh spinach. You will need one pound of baby spinach. Yes, it looks like a lot but it shrinks to a fraction of the size. In this case, it’s a good thing.
A shallot adds a nice flavor along with some garlic.
I use whole milk and heavy cream since this is called creamed spinach.
A pinch of nutmeg is just what this dish needs and your guests will ask what the secret ingredient is that gives it that special taste.
Take it easy on the salt
The cheeses have enough salt to carry this dish. I recommend using a half teaspoon then taste and adjust after the cheeses are mixed in.
I use grated Romano cheese but you can substitute Parmesan. Romano is salty and bold which pretty much describes me. Parmesan would make it a little nutty and fruity - which also describes me. Either one is fine. Depends on my mood.
I also add some grated Gruyere if I have some. If I don’t have that on hand, I use Swiss which always seems to be in the fridge.
How do you make creamed spinach gratin? Let me tell you.
First, we boil the spinach for one minute. You don’t have to fill a pot with water. You just need a pot with a few inches of water. It comes to a boil quickly and you just add the spinach and push it down. It will shrink quickly and it’s done.
Run it under cold water to cool it quickly. Now squeeze all the liquid out. Squeezing it will use some muscle. It’s also good to get some frustrations out. Do a rough chop and set aside.
Melt some butter in a skillet. Then saute the shallots until softened. The garlic is added and sauteed just until fragrant.
Now we make a roux. Mix in the flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Stir in the milk and heavy cream. Gently boil until it thickens.
Remove from heat and stir in half of each cheese. Transfer it into a baking dish. I think a pie dish works best for this.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and bake until it’s bubbling. Stick it under the broiler for a minute or two until golden brown.
More delicious sides to enjoy
This is a great dish for holidays, gatherings, or simply as an indulgent dish for any day to make it special. Your guests will love it.
This recipe serves six - eight. It's a rich dish and a scoop is enough to satisfy the tastebuds. I should state that when I make this guests do have seconds. I guess that's a compliment!
Life is too short for mediocre food.
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces (454 g) fresh spinach
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter
- 1 medium shallot finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste See NOTES
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste can substitute white pepper
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (55 g) grated Romano cheese can substitute Parmesan See NOTES
- ½ cup (55 g) grated Gruyere cheese can substitute Swiss or Emmental
Instructions
- Preheat oven 425℉.
- In a large pot, add a few inches of water and a good pinch of salt and bring to a boil. You don’t need a lot of water because we want to simply boil the spinach for about a minute and then squeeze it out. A few inches in a big pot should come to a boil quickly.
- Add the spinach and use tongs to push it and toss it in the water to make sure all the spinach is coated with water. Boil for one minute.
- Drain spinach and run under cold water to cool quickly. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. I simply push it down in the strainer. Just make sure to get any excess water out so it doesn’t thin the sauce too much.
- Roughly chop the spinach. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, until soft and translucent, about 3 - 4 minutes.
- Whisk In garlic and stir until fragrant. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Whisk for a minute or two then slowly pour in the milk and cream and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cream is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Combine the spinach and the sauce in the skillet.
- Mix in half of the Romano and half of the Gruyere. Now taste and adjust for salt because the cheese has salt already.
- Transfer into a 9-inch pie dish or small baking dish.
- Top with remaining Romano and Gruyere cheese.
- I like to place this on a baking sheet before baking because this does bubble. Plus it makes for easy removal. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling. If the top isn’t golden brown, place it under the broiler for a minute or two.
- There will be fat bubbling on top of this and it can’t be avoided. This is a rich dish. When you remove it from the oven, you can gently pat it with a paper towel to remove excess fat - or not.
Notes
- You can use Parmesan or Romano. I keep both handy but I have to admit I love the saltiness of Romano. That said, be careful adding salt. My Zio Tony used Romano a lot in his cooking and he was the most incredible cook (he was one of my teachers).
- I used a 9-inch shallow pie dish. I suggest placing it on a baking sheet prior to baking to catch anything. This does puff up as it cooks.
- If you’re using a deep 9-inch pie plate you should be fine but I still recommend it.
Nutritional Information
I don't post the nutritional value because I don't trust the accuracy of the nutritional apps. I’m not a nutritionist and don't want to post misinformation.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!