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Spoon in a gratin dish filled with spinach gratin and blue floral tea towel on side.
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5 from 16 votes

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.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: side, vegetable
Cuisine: American, French
Servings: 4 peopke
Calories: 170kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound baby spinach
  • 1 cup sliced Bella mushrooms
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 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