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Home » Recipes » Vegetables and Sides

The Best Baked Spinach Gratin --A Streamlined Julia Child Recipe

Published: Feb 25, 2017 · Modified: Aug 11, 2023 by Marisa Franca · 57 Comments

Jump to Recipe
The Best Baked Spinach Gratin is a streamlined Julia Child Recipe. It's brimming with flavor but it isn't loaded with cheese and cream. The rich taste comes from thickened chicken broth. You won't miss the calories! #spinachgratin, #juliachildspinachgratin, #bakedspinach, #lowcaloriegratin, #healthyspinachgratin

Our Spinach Gratin starts out as many of our recipes do. I check the fridge's vegetable drawer, spot one bag of baby spinach approaching the sell date and next to it is a one-half carton of Portabella mushrooms losing their freshness battle.

Spoon in a gratin dish filled with spinach gratin and blue floral tea towel on side.

"What are we having with the grilled chicken?" asks Honey entering the kitchen.

"Spinach with mushrooms," I answer.

"Sautéed garlic spinach and mushrooms, again?"

Necessity the mother of invention

Ingredients for the best baked spinach gratin a streamlined Julia Child recipe.

I hand him the spinach, mushrooms, and close the refrigerator door. "Nope," I say. "I . . . uhh . . . want to try something new." My mind is frantically trying to come up with some recipe. " Like . . . uhh . . . Baked Spinach Gratin!"

"Is this a blog recipe?"

"Well, if the spinach gratin turns out, I'll post it."

"Do you have a recipe for it?" he asks.

"Kinda," I hedge. "Julia Child, I know she has a recipe I can use. How can I possibly go wrong with the queen of cooking by my side?"

The best baked spinach gratin a streamlined Julia Child recipe is ready for the oven.

Modify the spinach gratin ingredients

I check out the recipe, and to my dismay, find that it calls for regular spinach, shallots, milk, cream cheese, and Gruyere cheese. Drat! I don't have any of those ingredients. *sigh*

It's late in the day, and most of that time I spent on my photography assignment. Well, it looks like I'll have to implement a"Plan B."

I decide to use Parmesan cheese instead of the Gruyere; we always have the parm on hand. Instead of the milk or cream cheese, I figure I can substitute chicken stock for the milk and cream cheese, then thicken the liquid with flour.

Spinach gratin with brown bread crumbs in oven.

Instead of the shallots, another ingredient I didn't have, I can use minced onion. At least I do have the butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Julia doesn't use mushrooms, but this dish will have some. Now if you don't like mushrooms, don't add them.

Streamline the directions for spinach gratin

The Julia Child recipe calls for 3 pounds of fresh spinach with the stems removed. What I have is one pound of baby spinach. Now, the original directions call for:

  • blanch the spinach until it wilts
  • transfer the greens to a colander
  • rinse in cold water
  • drain the liquid from the spinach
  • squeeze the spinach to extract as much liquid as possible from it
  • chop the leaves
White gratin dish with spinach gratin. White and blue tea towel on side.

Whew!! That is six too many steps for me.

Instead, I decide to make the spinach gratin like I make my garlic spinach.

The easier version!

  • Sauté the garlic and onion.
  • Add the mushrooms until they turn a golden brown.
  • Add the baby spinach, pour a little of the chicken broth in the pan and cover it with a lid.

Much easier, isn't it? No colander and pot to clean up. 🙂

White baking dish with creamed spinach and browned bread crumbs on top with a turquoise and white flower print tea towel on the side.

Finish the spinach gratin in the oven

Before pouring the mixture into a buttered gratin dish or glass casserole and stir in some of the Parmesan cheese.

Sprinkle the parmesan panko crumbs on top of the spinach and bake in a 375 degrees oven for 30 minutes.

The spinach was the best we've ever eaten. We hope you think so too. And if you're looking for more spinach recipes, try our Sautéed Baby Spinach recipe, we mix it with grape tomatoes. The combination is ideal!

If you can't get enough of gratin dishes, try our Cheesy Diced Potato Casserole. It's easy to throw together and you can get your creamy, cheesy potato fix.

By the way, this is one of the photos I captured that day. Honey challenged our grandsons to identify what they are, even said he'd give them $5.00 if they could name them. He lost. 🙂

Dolphins playing in the water the day I made the best baked spinach gratin.

Tutti a tavola è pronto! 

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

YOU MAY NEED...

This is like the gratin dish we have and use often. It's nice to have something low so that the gratin is nice a moist but not full of liquid. There are so many gratin recipes that this dish comes in handy. I'm sure you'll find it that way too. 

What's new? check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy. 

Thank you for being part of All Our Way!

The Best Baked Spinach Gratin is a streamlined version of Julia Child's recipe. It keeps the flavor, lowers the calories, and cuts the preparation time. A spinach gratin that's a win-win all around.

The Best Baked Spinach Gratin - Quick Version

📖 Recipe

Spoon in a gratin dish filled with spinach gratin and blue floral tea towel on side.

The Best Baked Spinach Gratin — A Streamlined Julia Child Recipe

This spinach gratin is brimming with flavor but isn't loaded with cream and cheese. The rich taste comes for thickened chicken broth and Parmesan cheese. The gratin is topped with a buttery crunchy parmesan breadcrumb topping.
5 from 16 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: side, vegetable
Cuisine: American, French
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 peopke
Calories: 170kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound baby spinach
  • 1 cup sliced Bella mushrooms
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup onion diced
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup chicken broth or stock
  • dash of nutmeg
  • ¼ cup+ 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese divided
  • ¼ cup Panko crumbs

Instructions

  • In a deep saute pan heat the olive oil and 1 ½ Tablespoon butter over medium high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent about 2 minutes then add the garlic, hot pepper flakes and cook for another minute.
  • Add the mushrooms, stir and continue to sauté until they begin to turn golden.
  • Slowly add the spinach leaves until they begin to wilt. Add ¼ cup of the broth, add salt and pepper to taste, cover the pan with lid, and cook over medium heat.
  • Once the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes, uncover and continue to stir. Don't let all of the moisture evaporate. You may have to add a little bit of water.
  • In the remaining ¼ cup chicken broth whisk in the flour until it's dissolved.
  • Slowly pour the broth over the spinach and mushrooms and continue to stir until thick. Add a dash of nutmeg.
  • Stir in 2 Tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese.
  • Pour the mixture into a buttered gratin pan or glass casserole.
  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • In a bowl mix the Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Melt the remaining butter and add that to the topping and mix well.
  • Sprinkle the topping evenly over the spinach gratin.
  • Bake until heated through and slightly golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

Notes

Our Spinach Gratin was inspired by Julia Child's Spinach Gratin with Cheese recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 756mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10975IU | Vitamin C: 35.1mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 3.5mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Veena Azmanov

      October 24, 2018 at 8:36 am

      5 stars
      This is so incredible Marisa. I love spinach but my kids have yet to start enjoying leaves. I think they get it from their father. Ziv won't eat leaves as well. I am going to make this for myself soon. I would love this so much cause I love spinach

      Reply
    2. Claudia Lamascolo

      October 24, 2018 at 5:54 am

      5 stars
      I am a huge julia fan and spinach! I bet this smells fabulous cooking too .. Not sure there is a better way to prepare spinach than this dish it really changes it up perfectly to a whole new level. All my mom ever did was fry it in garlic and red pepper flakes. I still do that but add it to a sandwich! LOL great dish will try this!

      Reply
    3. Dan Zehr

      October 24, 2018 at 3:59 am

      5 stars
      I like the simple and easy list of ingredients. This is really a great recipe. Very tasty and quite original. I love it! I am going to try this out. Thank you.

      Reply
    4. Lauren Vavala

      October 23, 2018 at 5:21 pm

      5 stars
      I think I can even get my kids to eat spinach and mushrooms when mixed with butter, cheese, and breadcrumbs - sounds so good! What a great comfort food side dish!

      Reply
    5. Jenni LeBaron

      October 23, 2018 at 5:02 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! The fella just loves spinach, especially when it's creamy like this. It's also the one way I know that I can sneak some mushrooms into dinner without a fuss. Your recipe looks beautiful!

      Reply
    6. Gloria

      August 15, 2018 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      This looks like a GREAT side dish. Perfect for taking along to potlucks too. We ALL love spinach in our house. Perfect pairing for a great BBQ's steak....this would be a crowd pleaser for sure.

      Reply
    7. Veronika Sykorova

      March 08, 2017 at 6:04 am

      yum! need to make this later this week!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 08, 2017 at 6:51 am

        Hello, Veronika. Let me know how you like it.

        Reply
    8. Eileen Kelly

      March 07, 2017 at 1:01 am

      5 stars
      I love spinach and mushrooms any day of the week! I love your creativity of transforming this into another great dish. I love that this will be an awesome dish for any night and a great one for holidays and guests

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 07, 2017 at 6:45 am

        Hi, Eileen! Thank you for your kind words. It is great -- can make a huge dish or just for two. I'm ready to make it again. I'd better check what's in the fridge first. 😉

        Reply
    9. Anne Lawton

      March 06, 2017 at 9:13 pm

      You cook like I do. . . I'm always opening the fridge and thinking hmmm what can I make with what's in here. This one sounds like a keeper!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 07, 2017 at 6:46 am

        Don't you think that we cook better under pressure? You know, oops this has no more days of life I'd better do something quick with it. Which reminds me, I have some fennel in the fridge calling to me. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen

      March 04, 2017 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      This looks so lovely! I've never had spinach prepared like this and it seems like a wonderful addition to any meal!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 04, 2017 at 8:58 am

        Hi, Ashley! Thank you and it does taste good. Just a little different than ordinary spinach. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery

      March 01, 2017 at 7:05 pm

      5 stars
      I've never thought of spinach for gratin, but it looks so good! We eat a lot of leafy greens so I'm always looking for new recipes - I bet this would be great with kale too, once the early spring kale CSA starts!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 02, 2017 at 7:15 am

        I think you're right about the kale, Julie. I was planning on doing that with baby kale. I really love the creamy, cheesy gratins but they are so high in fat and calories. This to me is a great tasting alternate.

        Reply
    12. Ashley - Forking Up

      March 01, 2017 at 3:46 pm

      Wow! I've never had spinach gratin before. This looks so delicious, I love anything with a good crispy crust.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 4:00 pm

        Hi, Ashley! You're going to have to give it a try. The crispy crust really adds to the overall taste.

        Reply
    13. Priya Srinivasan

      March 01, 2017 at 1:21 pm

      5 stars
      We food lovers, work even better under pressure!!!
      Spinach gratin, looks delicious, love everything that has gone into it, a complete meal!!!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 1:56 pm

        You are so right, Priya. It seems like I work more efficiently under pressure. 😉

        Reply
    14. Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago

      March 01, 2017 at 9:06 am

      Spinach is not always my most favorite veggie, however you've combined it with some other tasty ingredients here and I bet this is really good. You can never really go wrong when you start with a Julia Child recipe!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 1:56 pm

        Hello, Kathryn! Julia Child is a genius -- and she can make just about anything taste good. 🙂

        Reply
    15. Molly Kumar

      March 01, 2017 at 4:47 am

      This looks so delicious Marisa and I'm all about giving a twist to the original recipes as I feel they are more tuned to our family need or situation. I love Julia Child and I'm always feeling like one when I cook her recipe even if I speak 2-3 sentences of french 🙂

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 7:17 am

        Hi, Molly! Well, you speak 2-3 sentences of French more than I do. I do love taking a recipe and making it into my own -- especially when I'm missing a few of the original ingredients and I've my heart set on making the recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    16. chei

      March 01, 2017 at 2:30 am

      This sounds good and easy to make. I will try this with my mom. She loves spinach.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 7:18 am

        Hello, Chei. I'm sure your mom will enjoy it -- it has a rich creamy taste.

        Reply
    17. Adriana Lopez Martn

      March 01, 2017 at 12:35 am

      Love yummy casseroles and this is perfect to use anything you can find on the fridge. Spinach is so tasty combined with the cheese yummy!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 7:19 am

        Hello, Adriana! It tasted good even the next day left over. 😉

        Reply
    18. Maria @ kitchenathoskins

      February 28, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      Can't go wrong with Julia Child's recipe:)

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 7:19 am

        You are so right, Maria!!

        Reply
    19. Kylee from Kylee Cooks

      February 28, 2017 at 5:41 pm

      This looks really fantastic. I love a good gratin - it screams comfort food to me!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 7:22 am

        It sure tastes like comfort food, too, Kylee! 🙂

        Reply
    20. Christine McMichael

      February 28, 2017 at 12:48 pm

      I've actually never had Gratin (crazy, I know!) but this looks especially amazing! Can't wait to try it out!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 7:23 am

        Hi, Christine! Try it, you'll like it!! Seriously, though, it is so tasty it easily can be a company side.

        Reply
    21. Stephanie@ApplesforCJ

      February 28, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is exactly what I do..Most of my meals are not planned. I just base them off what I need to use first and I pretty much always have mushrooms and spinach on hand. So thanks for sharing this recipe so I can make something different with mine the next time 🙂

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 7:26 am

        You're welcome, Stephanie. You know, I always try to plan my meals ahead but sometimes it just isn't possible. And we too always have mushrooms in our fridge.

        Reply
    22. Hanady | Recipe Nomad

      February 28, 2017 at 9:21 am

      Bless Julia Child! This dish looks scrumptious and then best part is it's not so complicated! Will go great with Sunday's Grilled Steak Dinner!!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        March 01, 2017 at 7:27 am

        Grilled steak dinner?? Oh!! That sounds so good and the spinach will make a terrific side.

        Reply
    23. Tina

      February 28, 2017 at 7:05 am

      5 stars
      Come dinner time, opening the fridge and looking for ingredients to use up is exactly what I do here at home too. Spinach and mushrooms are also items we always have sitting in the fridge. I'll keep this recipe in mind for next time!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 28, 2017 at 7:43 am

        Hi, Tina! I've got arugula now that is getting to "that" point. It's on the menus tonight. Pizza with arugula.

        Reply
    24. Jennifer A Stewart

      February 27, 2017 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      That is how most of my blog recipes start out too. If it works I will post it! And I too often grab what is about to expire out of the fridge and ask how can I salvage this? This is a great one for me as I always buy so much fresh spinach and can't finish it before it gets about ready to spoil!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 28, 2017 at 7:43 am

        Hi, Jennifer! Hope you try the recipe -- it certainly is easier than Julia's recipe.

        Reply
    25. Dene' V. Alexander

      February 27, 2017 at 6:57 pm

      You can never go wrong with a Julia Child recipe!! She wrote the book on cooking! I love how you piece your ingredients together and come up with such a fabulous dish!!!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 28, 2017 at 7:44 am

        Thank you, Dene. I think I'll look for another Julia recipe I can modify. 🙂

        Reply
    26. Veena Azmanov

      February 27, 2017 at 5:15 pm

      Oh oh... that's my style of cooking.. Take a break from my work. Open the fridge - look at how much time I have on hand - then decide what can I serve in that time. Some time luck in my favor and I have enough time if not i'm scrambling.... these are times when some of the best recipes surface..!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 28, 2017 at 7:45 am

        You know, Veena, I always say I work better under pressure. Gets the old brain juices working hard. 😉

        Reply
    27. Ciao Chow Linda

      February 27, 2017 at 4:55 pm

      Well, you came up with a delicious alternative to what your normally made with spinach. I hope the husband was happy.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 28, 2017 at 7:46 am

        Hi, Linda! Hubby was perfectly happy! Got any ideas for fennel?

        Reply
    28. Pam Wattenbarger

      February 27, 2017 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds pretty good! I love that you made it with what you had on hand, too. I actually have some spinach and mushrooms that need to be used up...

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 27, 2017 at 3:27 pm

        Hello, Pam! This is really an easy recipe. If you make it let me know how you like it.

        Reply
    29. Byron Thomas

      February 27, 2017 at 12:28 pm

      You cook for your family very much like I do, Marisa. I open the fridge, see what I have, and invent something on my own, or a spin off from a cookbook or food network personality. I love that cooking doesn't need to be an exact science and in the end, it's the taste that matters anyway. I think your spinach gratin looks delicious. I would have used all parmesan too! 🙂

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 27, 2017 at 3:26 pm

        Hi, Byron! It's fun coming up with something new. I've got a fennel bulb in the fridge now that's calling my name.

        Reply
    30. Chiara

      February 27, 2017 at 11:32 am

      delicious and easy to make, what do you want more? Un abbraccio e buona settimana

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 27, 2017 at 3:25 pm

        Grazie, Chiara! Abbracci e buona settimana a te.

        Reply
    31. Rosemary

      February 26, 2017 at 8:16 am

      I love baked veggie dishes and this sounds so good. Looking forward to trying it.

      Reply
    32. Jovina Coughlin

      February 25, 2017 at 5:31 pm

      I agree "necessity is the mother of invention" especially in creating great recipes. I like your version better and more to my taste. I bet this dish came out a winner. Will definitely add to my recipe file because spinach is my favorite vegetable and this recipe looks delicious.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 26, 2017 at 7:19 am

        Good morning, Jovina! We do eat a lot of spinach, whether it's fresh or frozen. Hubby could eat it several times a week, he really doesn't complain. I'm the one who is always seeking for culinary adventures -- only ones that don't require an entire day especially when we're not home. Happy Sunday.

        Reply

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    The Best Baked Spinach Gratin is a streamlined Julia Child Recipe. It's brimming with flavor but it isn't loaded with cheese and cream. The rich taste comes from thickened chicken broth. You won't miss the calories! #spinachgratin, #juliachildspinachgratin, #bakedspinach, #lowcaloriegratin, #healthyspinachgratin

    I’m Marisa Franca, a home chef, food writer, and photographer who believes that you can make gourmet quality food at home with simple seasonal ingredients. I’m passionate about family, food, friends, everything Italian, and happy endings.

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    The Best Baked Spinach Gratin is a streamlined Julia Child Recipe. It's brimming with flavor but it isn't loaded with cheese and cream. The rich taste comes from thickened chicken broth. You won't miss the calories! #spinachgratin, #juliachildspinachgratin, #bakedspinach, #lowcaloriegratin, #healthyspinachgratin

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