Ah the classic conundrum: did you make enough of the incredibly popular side dish for everyone at the holiday table? When it’s something like creamed spinach, you know the answer has to be yes. Don’t worry, Creamed Spinach Casserole has you covered. The creamy, tender, and cheesy mix of fresh garden veggies and luscious sauce now makes enough to feed everyone and even comes with a crunchy, buttery topping for a little extra enchantment. Mmmm! Sounds good already! Let yourself stop stressing and whip up some Creamed Spinach Casserole. The results are guaranteed to make you happy!
Ingredients
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons parmesan, grated
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the casserole:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium shallots, peeled and finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan, plus more for serving
- 3 (10-ounce) bags frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1/3 cup crème fraiche
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
Step 3 –In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons of the parmesan together.
Step 4 –Season the breadcrumb mixture with the salt and the pepper.
Step 5 –Drizzle the breadcrumb mixture with 1 tablespoon of the melted and cooled butter, tossing to coat.
Step 6 –Melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Step 7 –Add the shallots to the butter and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Step 8 –Add the garlic, the nutmeg, and the cayenne pepper to the shallots and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 9 –Add the heavy cream, the kosher salt, and the pepper to the shallot mixture and bring to a simmer.
Step 10 –Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes.
Step 11 –Turn the heat to medium-low and add the Gruyère to the heavy cream mixture, whisking until fully incorporated.
Step 12 –Add the remaining parmesan to the heavy cream mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
Step 13 –Add the spinach to the heavy cream mixture and gently stir until combined, cooking until heated through, about 1 minute.
Step 14 –Transfer the saucepan from the heat and stir in the crème fraiche.
Step 15 –Taste for seasoning.
Step 16 –Transfer the spinach mixture to the prepared baking dish and evenly top with the topping mixture.
Step 17 –Bake uncovered until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly golden brown, about 18-22 minutes. Optionally, you can broil the casserole for the last 2-4 minutes of baking for an extra crispy topping.
Step 18 –Garnish with the extra parmesan and serve.