Pop is a man’s man, meaning he loves to hunt, loves a good hunk of meat, and loves to build things with his hands. Knowing all of that, we find it quite funny that pop’s go-to dish to make is Pop’s Spinach Bake. It feels a little daintier than his usual characteristics, but hey, we’re totally fine with it because it’s so tasty! Creamy, crunchy, and loaded with some fresh spinach, we always get excited when he serves it alongside grandmama’s fried chicken. It’s just the best! Pop’s Spinach Bake is proof even the manliest of men can enjoy their greens!
Ingredients
- 1 cup fried onions, lightly crushed, divided
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 (9-ounce) bags fresh spinach
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- garlic powder, to taste
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
- 1 lemon, zested
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the fried onions and the panko breadcrumbs, then set the mixture aside.
Step 4 –In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
Step 5 –Add the spinach to the oil and cook until it has wilted, about 5 minutes. Transfer it to a heat-safe bowl and set it aside.
Step 6 –In the same skillet, add the butter and let it melt until it is bubbly and golden.
Step 7 –Add the minced garlic and the flour to the melted butter and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.
Step 8 –Whisk the milk, the salt, the pepper, and the garlic powder into the sauce mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until it thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 9 –Reduce the heat to low, then stir the cream cheese into the sauce mixture until it is completely combined.
Step 10 –Add the Gruyère to the sauce mixture in 3 batches, stirring after each addition to ensure it is completely incorporated before adding the next batch.
Step 11 –Stir the parmesan into the sauce mixture; it will be very thick and will give a lot of resistance when stirring.
Step 12 –Add the wilted spinach with its juices to the cheese sauce and stir until it is well-combined.
Step 13 –Add the remaining fried onions to the spinach mixture and stir to combine.
Step 14 –Pour the spinach mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the fried onion-panko mixture.
Step 15 –Bake the spinach bake until it is bubbling and the topping is golden-brown, about 30-35 minutes.
Step 16 –Let the spinach bake sit for 10 minutes.
Step 17 –Serve the spinach bake garnished with the lemon zest.
