Spinach Casserole
This easy spinach casserole recipe has a creamy sauce, plenty of cheese, and a crispy panko topping for a toasty finishing touch!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups low-fat milk I used 2%
- 2 garlic cloves minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 10-ounce bags frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan
- 2 ounces cream cheese at room temperature, cubed
- Finely chopped fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10- or 12-inch oven-safe skillet* over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until the panko is crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 2 minutes, until thick and pasty. While whisking, slowly add the milk, breaking up any lumps. Add the garlic, nutmeg, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and continue to whisk until the mixture is thick, about 6 minutes.
- Add the spinach and cook, breaking it up with a spoon and stirring to incorporate, until warmed through, about 4 minutes.
- Add the parmesan and cream cheese and cook, stirring well, until fully melted and incorporated.
- If using an oven-safe skillet, top with the panko. Bake until the spinach casserole is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before serving.
Notes
- *If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, use a regular skillet and transfer to a greased 8x8-inch baking dish to bake in Step 6.
- You can double and bake in a 9x13-inch baking dish (it will look like A TON of spinach but will cook down a lot).
- To USE FRESH SPINACH: Use 20-ounces of spinach, and saute until the liquid is evaporated—honestly, I really recommend frozen here because it is less expensive and will give you better results than fresh (fresh turns out more watery).
- TO STORE: Refrigerate spinach casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm up leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: I don’t recommend freezing this casserole.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 347kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 19gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 58mgPotassium: 700mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 17390IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 614mgIron: 4mg
