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.
“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
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?”
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.
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
Whew!! That is six too many steps for me. Instead, I decide to make the spinach gratin like I make my garlic spinach. I sauteé the garlic and onion. Then I add the mushrooms until they turn a golden brown. Finally, I add the baby spinach, pour a little of the chicken broth in the pan and cover it with a lid.
Isn’t that much easier? No colander and pot to clean up. 🙂
Finish the spinach gratin in the oven
Before pouring the mixture into a buttered gratin dish or glass casserole, I stir in some of the Parmesan cheese. I 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.
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. 🙂
Tutti a tavola è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
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The Best Baked Spinach Gratin — A Streamlined Julia Child Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby spinach
- 1 cup sliced Bella mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1/3 cup onion diced
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
- dash of nutmeg
- 1/4 cup+ 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 1/4 cup Panko crumbs
Instructions
- In a deep saute pan heat the olive oil and 1 1/2 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 1/4 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 1/4 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
Nutrition
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Veena Azmanov says
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
Claudia Lamascolo says
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!
Dan Zehr says
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.
Lauren Vavala says
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!
Jenni LeBaron says
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!
Gloria says
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.
Veronika Sykorova says
yum! need to make this later this week!
Marisa Franca says
Hello, Veronika. Let me know how you like it.
Eileen Kelly says
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
Marisa Franca says
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. 😉
Anne Lawton says
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!
Marisa Franca says
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. 🙂
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says
This looks so lovely! I’ve never had spinach prepared like this and it seems like a wonderful addition to any meal!
Marisa Franca says
Hi, Ashley! Thank you and it does taste good. Just a little different than ordinary spinach. 🙂
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
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!
Marisa Franca says
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.
Ashley - Forking Up says
Wow! I’ve never had spinach gratin before. This looks so delicious, I love anything with a good crispy crust.
Marisa Franca says
Hi, Ashley! You’re going to have to give it a try. The crispy crust really adds to the overall taste.
Priya Srinivasan says
We food lovers, work even better under pressure!!!
Spinach gratin, looks delicious, love everything that has gone into it, a complete meal!!!
Marisa Franca says
You are so right, Priya. It seems like I work more efficiently under pressure. 😉
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
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!
Marisa Franca says
Hello, Kathryn! Julia Child is a genius — and she can make just about anything taste good. 🙂
Molly Kumar says
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 🙂
Marisa Franca says
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. 🙂
chei says
This sounds good and easy to make. I will try this with my mom. She loves spinach.
Marisa Franca says
Hello, Chei. I’m sure your mom will enjoy it — it has a rich creamy taste.
Adriana Lopez Martn says
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!
Marisa Franca says
Hello, Adriana! It tasted good even the next day left over. 😉
Maria @ kitchenathoskins says
Can’t go wrong with Julia Child’s recipe:)
Marisa Franca says
You are so right, Maria!!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
This looks really fantastic. I love a good gratin – it screams comfort food to me!
Marisa Franca says
It sure tastes like comfort food, too, Kylee! 🙂
Christine McMichael says
I’ve actually never had Gratin (crazy, I know!) but this looks especially amazing! Can’t wait to try it out!
Marisa Franca says
Hi, Christine! Try it, you’ll like it!! Seriously, though, it is so tasty it easily can be a company side.
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
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 🙂
Marisa Franca says
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.
Hanady | Recipe Nomad says
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!!
Marisa Franca says
Grilled steak dinner?? Oh!! That sounds so good and the spinach will make a terrific side.
Tina says
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!
Marisa Franca says
Hi, Tina! I’ve got arugula now that is getting to “that” point. It’s on the menus tonight. Pizza with arugula.
Jennifer A Stewart says
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!
Marisa Franca says
Hi, Jennifer! Hope you try the recipe — it certainly is easier than Julia’s recipe.
Dene' V. Alexander says
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!!!
Marisa Franca says
Thank you, Dene. I think I’ll look for another Julia recipe I can modify. 🙂
Veena Azmanov says
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..!
Marisa Franca says
You know, Veena, I always say I work better under pressure. Gets the old brain juices working hard. 😉
Ciao Chow Linda says
Well, you came up with a delicious alternative to what your normally made with spinach. I hope the husband was happy.
Marisa Franca says
Hi, Linda! Hubby was perfectly happy! Got any ideas for fennel?
Pam Wattenbarger says
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…
Marisa Franca says
Hello, Pam! This is really an easy recipe. If you make it let me know how you like it.
Byron Thomas says
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! 🙂
Marisa Franca says
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.
Chiara says
delicious and easy to make, what do you want more? Un abbraccio e buona settimana
Marisa Franca says
Grazie, Chiara! Abbracci e buona settimana a te.
Rosemary says
I love baked veggie dishes and this sounds so good. Looking forward to trying it.
Jovina Coughlin says
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.
Marisa Franca says
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.